Staff at what used to be called the Lenin Library said on Wednesday the system would bring the imposing colonnaded library - said to be second only to Washington's library of Congress in size - up to scratch with other world-class libraries.

The Leninka, as it is affectionately called by Muscovites, has linked its electronic catalogue to the internet and says it will e-mail readers extracts from any of its books within 48 hours of receiving a request.

Library director Viktor Fedorov told a news conference a donation of $150,000 worth of computer equipment by computing giant Hewlett-Packard Co. and chip-maker Intel Corp. had allowed the library to go ahead with the project.