History of librarianship in Azerbaijan

History of books and libraries in Azerbaijan, 2022

This educational publication is the first teaching aid written in English by the Doctor of Philosophy in history Mammadov Eldaniz Elman oglu for university students studying in the specialty of “Librarian and information activities” in the Republic of Azerbaijan. The teaching aid reflects the historical theory of the formation and development of book and library culture in Azerbaijan from ancient times to the beginning of the XXI century. Teaching aid is intended for students specializing in Library and Information science in English in the Republic of Azerbaijan and abroad, including for local and foreign library and information specialists, as well as for researchers of the history of culture.

1st International Library Staff Week at Koç University, Istanbul, Turkey, 26-30 March, 2018

2021

The history and processes of the establishment of the first libraries in Uzbekistan have not yet been fully studied. Preliminary views were expressed on the mission of libraries in raising the ideological and political awareness of the population and the tasks of libraries. This article provides scientific research and analysis on the development of libraries as a cultural and educational organization and the history of library science. Opinions were expressed and historical materials were provided on the activities of the staff of the first libraries and the role of libraries in the political and ideological processes.

Libraries, from past to present, have played a vital role in the process of developing, preserving and passing down culture by providing the information that the society, in which they have a place, have needed. Libraries, at the same time, are the institutions which are a part of the society and reflect the features of the society. With these aspects, libraries have an important position in the lives of societies and states both historically and culturally. In this study, libraries established in the Ottoman Empire from its foundation to collapse have been handled within a historical scope in general terms. In addition, in this study, both the effects of Ottoman library tradition upon political, social and cultural lives and the effects of the changes in the political, social and cultural lives in the Ottoman Empire on the libraries have been analyzed. Within the scope of the study, a general evaluation has been held in the area of library types ranging from the Waqf Libraries to Turkish Hearths Libraries established in Ottoman Empire.

Alexandria, 2013

The paper is a report on the development and current state of libraries and information services in Uzbekistan. It was initially prepared as background for a project supported by the European Commission's TEMPUS programme that provided technical assistance for developments in Armenia, Georgia and Uzbekistan. The paper is based on a review of the published literature and data gathered during the implementation of the project, and addresses a wide range of issues that were encountered. It provides some background information on the country, the state of publishing and bookselling, and the dissemination of research results; briefly describes the development of libraries and information services, and professional education; outlines the international development assistance that they have received during the last twenty years; describes their current situation; and indicates some of their future needs. It notes that, while the activities of international governmental and nongovernmen...

Traces the early origins of Soviet education for librarianship in the early 20th century.

Abstract Since achieving statehood in 1991, Armenia has faced major economic and political obstacles which have significantly affected the nation’s research libraries. This research paper will quantitatively and qualitatively examine the challenges facing Armenian research libraries just over twenty years after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Specifically, the authors analyze their interviews with five library administrators[1] at five major institutions, respectively. These include Yerevan State University Library, the National Library of Armenia, the Fundamental Scientific Library of the National Academy of Sciences of Armenia, the Republican Scientific-Medical Library of Armenia, and the Papazian Library of the American University of Armenia. The instrument for the interviews consists of 73 questions based on the 2004 Association of College and Research Libraries Standards for Libraries in Higher Education[2] and evaluates the following factors: •The library’s mission, goals and objectives •Public or user services •Instruction activities at the library •Resources (print, media, or electronic) and collection development •Access to the library’s resources •Outcome assessment, or evaluation of the library •Staffing issues •Facility maintenance and plans for library development •Communication and cooperation both within the library and with the user community •Administration •Budget In addition, we will focus on the strengths and weaknesses of these libraries and investigate the growing open access movement in Armenia. Based on our findings, the authors wish to facilitate dialogue and consider possible approaches to help these libraries meet Armenia’s pressing information needs. Key Words academic libraries; Armenian libraries; post-Soviet countries; quality management

Starting from the problematization of the meanings of science and library professions and institutions, the paper surfaces and analyzes from perspectives equally philosophical, epistemological, and scientometric, the premises and conditions which situate – willingly or not – the project of a (any) genuine research which intends to study the Romanian literature on librarianship as it appears in books and periodicals. To this end, earlier researches will also be placed on the dissection table of analysis, but meanwhile the problematic and even symptomatic experiences that the editors of the journal Philobiblon and its Romanian anthologies by the title Hermeneutica Bibliothecaria – Antologie Philobiblon have to confront are also organically exposed. These experiences outline as well the issues that practically any present or future responsible research of this type should focus on, as also the neuralgic points and mental traps which – once identified – will have to be either avoided, or assumed in the course of these researches. These traps, resulting precisely from the functioning and environment of this literature – which is, or pretends to be, equally professional and scientific – are and can be dangerous in the future, yet also eloquent with regard to their publishing and affiliation institutions.

With the proclamation of the Turkish Republic in 1923 not only was the Ottoman Empire but also many of its institutions abolished. Many of the classical Ottoman institutions had ceased to operate effectively and had become increasingly irrelevant to the needs of society. In the early Republican period many of these institutions including law, education, the alphabet -both the written and the spoken language, music etc., were replaced wholesale by European models, but in some cases we see that Ottoman attitudes and practices infiltrated into the new order. Particularly in education was it more difficult to change attitudes, so that while a European-styled system of education was established, there was a failure to provide it with a comprehensive library system to support it. Today in Turkey the concept of a general library operating for the general public and for research is yet to be adopted. This article attempts to examine the attitudes and practices that have held fast in the library system today as part of our heritage from the last century of the Ottoman Empire. It concludes that the professional work of the modern Turkish librarian and the development of Turkish schools for training librarians are contributing to a change in perception.

Turkey has a rich book and library tradition going back centuries. This article presents an overview of Turkish libraries and librarianship by providing information specifically on the library tradition in Turkey, public and special libraries, librarianship education , professional associations and publications, and recent developments including some special projects run by the state and NGOs.