An exhibition of this chronological breadth could not address every salient issue in Russian and world history. Furthermore, The New York Public Library's collections of materials dating from the 15th through the first quarter of the 19th centuries, while possessing great breadth and depth, do not speak to all issues. These unaddressed issues became the focus of a two-day scholarly symposium held at the Library in October 2003, Beyond "Russia Engages the World , " which brought together over one hundred scholars from throughout the world. Throughout the fall of 2003, the general public enjoyed a complementary lecture series, The Pforzheimer Lectures on Printing and the Book Arts: "Book Culture in Russia: From Manuscript to Malevich , " and a film series, Russia Engages the Cinema .

In addition to this website, the most lasting legacy of the exhibition is the lavishly illustrated companion volume published by Harvard University Press. Essays on the themes of the exhibit, written by the scholarly advisors and curators of the exhibition, are illustrated by over 120 images drawn from the many spectacular works in the exhibition.

The exhibition, and its related website and publication, have, it is hoped, deepened popular understanding and appreciation of Russian and world history through the display and interpretation of the remarkable works on paper in The New York Public Library's collections.