Before becoming an independent state, the Republic of Byelorussia had initiated an extensive programme of aesthetic education which complemented activities elsewhere in the former USSR while stimulating a revival of interest in Byelorussian cultural traditions. Libraries, led by the National Library (now the State Library) at Minsk, contribute to this programme through the provision of publications, by organising or hosting activities, and by working closely with schools. Particular efforts are being made, in association with Melodiya, to improve acquisition of gramophone records. The acquisition of books benefits from a developing programme of international exchange.