Turkish Libraries Research Articles

Paleoanthropological Analysis of Osteological Material from the Myntobe Burial Ground

The article deals with the paleoanthropological analysis of the skeletons unearthed from the Myntobe necropolis and dated to the II – IV centuries AD. Myntobe necropolis is located 2 km south of Gani Muratbayev village in the Keles district of Turkestan province. The burial ground consists of more than 600 randomly located mounds of various sizes. All mounds have a dirt embankment. Archaeological excavations were carried out at the burial ground in 2017 and 2022, as a result of which burials in the catacombs and naus were unearthed. An analysis of the burial tradition and recovered material allows researchers to speak about the belonging of these burials to the Kangli tribes. Since the burials date back to the Kangli period, the theoretical part reveals the issues of the location and political structure of the tribes and, most importantly, the determination of the paleopathology of the Myntobints by conducting a macroscopic analysis of the discovered skeletons. The results of the analysis allowed for drawing preliminary conclusions about lifestyle, social life, and nutritional status. When writing the theoretical part of the article, electronic textbooks and resources from the book fund of the National Library of Kazakhstan and the library of the International Kazakh-Turkish University named after Kozh Ahmet Yasawi were used. In total, 9 skeletons were selected for paleoanthropological and paleopathological analysis, from mounds No. 3, No. 6, and No. 7. Paleoanthropological reasoning in the main section is written on the basis of materials in Turkish and English from the collections of Turkish libraries. The skeletons found were analyzed macroscopically and many diseases were identified, such as osteoarthritis (joint deformity), osteopathy, ankylosing spondylitis, heel spurs, thickening of the cranial bone, and deformity of the mandibular joint. Preliminary conclusions about the paleopathology of the discovered skeletons are made.

Türkiye’de Nevâyî araştırmaları

Having a long history and great accumulation, the Turks naturally raised many cultural men, poets, writers and scholars. The Turkish language, which we have seen as a written language since the eighth century, has been processed and developed with the pen of hundreds of artists, and has created a strong tradition and constantly trained new artists in different geographies. The religious change that followed the Köktürk and Uyghur periods gave a new excitement to the society and great people such as Balasagunlu Yusuf, Kaşgarli Mahmut, Yüknekli Ahmet and Hoca Ahmet Yesevi brought vitality to the Turkish language with their valuable works. In the fifteenth century, a great man of culture such as Ali Şir Nevâyî was raised in the tradition of culture and civilization enriched by these people.Born on February 9, 1441, Ali Şir Nevâyî has an important place in the history of thousands of years of Turkish culture. Being as the greatest poet of classical Chagatai literature and due to the works he wrote , Ali Şir Nevayi went down in history as the first person to give his name to a language by calling the language of his time as “Nevâyî Language”.At the beginning of almost all the works he wrote, Nevâyî needs to explain why he wrote in Turkish language by writing; “Such works are many in Arabic and Persian, but I wrote in Turkish so that the Turks would learn these subjects”. His thought shows that he knew quite well what language meant to a nation and how he grasped the meaning of the language imposed to the language in the twentieth century back in the fifteenth century .Nevâyî influenced Western Turkish with the works he wrote in Eastern Turkish, his works were transferred to Western Turkish, their constructions were made and dictionaries were started to be written in order to understand his works. Known by the Western Turks since Nevayi was alive, several studies have been done and still continue to be done in Turkey. The abundance of scientific publications, the related works and prensence of written dictionaries in order to understand Nevayi’s works in Turkish libaraies show how much Nevayi is important and how much of his value known by the Turks. In this study, Nevayi’s works in Turkish libraries and scientific studies about them will be introduced and aforementioned scientific studies and scientific publications will be explained.

I-IV, [The History of Turkish Literature I-IV] ed. Abdullah Uçman et al., Turkish Historical Society Publications

Türk Edebiyatı Tarihi [The History of Turkish Literature], the work that existed in name only for long times, of İsmail Hakkı Ertaylan took its place among the publications of Turkish Historical Society. The book had been written in Arabic alphabet and published as four separate volumes in Baku in 1925-26; yet, all of them were published in one great volume by Turkish Historical Society. Transliteration and editing of the book were carried out by a committee under the leadership of Abdullah Uçman. The committee consists of Mehmet Çelenk, Seda Işık, İpek Şahbenderoğlu, Özge Şahin, Bengü Vahapoğlu, Sibel Işık and Seval Şahin. İsmail Hikmet Ertaylan is always mentioned as a significant writer of Turkish Literature historiography in higher schools in Turkey, however most of the readers could not get through to his work as it was written in old alphabet. Moreover, copies of the book were not available in Turkish libraries as it was published in Baku.

EVİDENCE-BASED LİBRARY MANAGEMENT AS A NEW CONCEPT FOR DECİSİON MAKERS: A CASE STUDY IN TURKEY

Introduction: This paper will present a study that explores the way in which librarians in Turkey use their knowledge and evidence upon which to base their decision making. Method: One method is to carry out a questionnaire of literature on the subject. The other method is to use analytical data by interviewing library managers. Analysis: The problem of the lack of recognition of the Evidence-Based Library Management (EBLM) concept in Turkey can result particularly in Library managers making uninformed decisions based on on-trend practices. Results: . This study has found that managers and executives of Turkish libraries have inadequate knowledge of the EBLM concept. Library managers need to consider and plan for practical steps that could be taken to introduce the concept of evidence based practice in their decision-making process. Conclusion: Library managers will have to be able to learn to change from a culture of institution-based decision making to an evidence-based decision making process based on analytics and concrete results. Article visualizations:

EVİDENCE-BASED LİBRARY MANAGEMENT AS A NEW CONCEPT FOR DECİSİON MAKERS: A CASE STUDY IN TURKEY

Introduction: This paper will present a study that explores the way in which librarians in Turkey use their knowledge and evidence upon which to base their decision making. Method: One method is to carry out a questionnaire of literature on the subject. The other method is to use analytical data by interviewing library managers. Analysis: The problem of the lack of recognition of the Evidence-Based Library Management (EBLM) concept in Turkey can result particularly in Library managers making uninformed decisions based on on-trend practices. Results: . This study has found that managers and executives of Turkish libraries have inadequate knowledge of the EBLM concept. Library managers need to consider and plan for practical steps that could be taken to introduce the concept of evidence based practice in their decision-making process. Conclusion: Library managers will have to be able to learn to change from a culture of institution-based decision making to an evidence-based decision making process based on analytics and concrete results. Article visualizations:

Library cooperation in Turkey: the results of a survey of ILL librarians in higher education

Purpose The purpose of this study is to investigate library cooperation among the libraries of Turkish higher education institutions in the changing global environment. Design/methodology/approach This study has been carried out with ILL librarians working in state and foundation university libraries in Turkey. The survey was sent to 140 inter library loan (ILL) librarians who were asked to answer 35 questions both open and closed. There were 100 responses which is an excellent response rate of 72 per cent. It was conducted with VETI (Data Collection and Statistics), which is a web-based form application developed by Istanbul Technical University. Findings Turkish libraries are taking the opportunities offered by technical developments to serve their users with instant information by providing access to electronic resources and transferring their collections to electronic media. Reconstruction of ILL services to fulfill users’ needs is inevitable because of the increasing expectations of users and emerging alternatives to access information. Originality/value This is the first systematic national investigation into the state of ILL in Turkish libraries.

Who Owns the Past? Turkey's Role in the Loss and Repatriation of Antiquities

“Every flower is beautiful in its own garden. Every antiquity is beautiful in its own country. “ Sign in Ephesus Museum lobby, quoted in Lonely Planet Turkey (11th ed.) at 60.“History is beautiful where it belongs.”—OzgenAcar[Acar Erghan], imprinted on posters in Turkish libraries, classrooms, public buildings and shops and quoted in S. Waxman, Loot at 151; see also S. Waxman, Chasing the Lydian Hoard, Smithsonian.com, November 14, 2008.

THE PRESERVATION OF OTTOMAN MANUSCRIPTS

Many historic books and manuscripts in Turkish foundations and libraries have been preserved across the centuries because of the value attached to calligraphy by Ottoman society and because of the careful and welldocumented stewardship that was set out at the time many of these foundations were endowed. The tradition of care given to collections by those responsible for these libraries forms the basis for modern preventive conservation practices in Turkish manuscript and book collections, including the Sakıp Sabancı Museum. The sources of paper used in the Islamic world are investigated, considering the merits of linen and cotton fibres and examining how their differing properties are reflected in the properties of their component polymers. The role of sizing in modifying the paper surface and protecting the paper from the damaging effect of corrosive inks and pigments is explored and it is concluded that the judicious selection and use of materials by Ottoman papermakers and calligraphers has also contributed to their generally good state of preservation.

A General Outlook on Turkish Librarianship and Libraries

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.

İstanbul Kütüphanelerinde Bulunan Farsça Yazmaların Öyküsü: Bir Giriş

Turkish libraries today possess the richest and most valuable collection of Islamic manuscripts in the world. This priceless collection consists of approximately 160,000 manuscripts in Arabic, 70,000 in Turkish and 13,000 in Persian, making a total of 250,000, which rises to 600,000 if one includes majmū‘as. These figures do not take account of the thousands of pamphlets and reports in the archives and manuscripts in private collections. Approximately 146,000 volumes of the total of 250,000 manuscripts kept in Turkish libraries are in Istanbul. According to the aforementioned figures Istanbul is the repository of the largest Islamic manuscripts collection in the world. Although we do not have systematic catalogues it is possible to say that only 6-7 % of those manuscripts kept in Turkey are written in Persian. However these manuscripts are extremely important in terms of their age, originality and artistic value. Ancient and valuable copies of many manuscripts regarding Iranian language, literature, history and culture are kept in Turkish libraries. These manuscripts were collected over a long period of time. This article is a preliminary step in tracing the development of the collections of Persian manuscripts in Turkish libraries, by studying the example of the Istanbul libraries

Perspectives on … The Impact of ANKOS: Consortium Development in Turkey

ANKOS is the acronym for the Anatolian University Libraries Consortium (Anadolu Universite Kutuphaneleri Konsorsiyumu). In this paper, the development of ANKOS since 2000 and its impact on Turkish libraries and researchers is summarized.

Strategic Issues in Electronic Librarianship

All of us working in Turkish libraries at the start of the 3rd millennium are very much aware that we are engaged in an "uphill struggle" in nearly every aspect of our work. Technology continues to evolve at a pace so rapid we can barely stay abreast of information disseminated about it, let alone harness it to our advantage and, more importantly, to the benefit of our patrons. Even the issues we discuss this year in varous meetings on digital librarianship will change betore the year is out. Yet our mission will remain essentially unchanged, and we must fulfill it, meeting myriad needs with limited means. Using Koç University Library as a case in point, this paper identifies strategic issues facing Turkish libraries today and relates information about some interesting initiatives being taken by our American and British colleagues in dealing with them. Key issues are: redefining collection development, acquiring the right mix ot resources, deciding what to save and how to preserve it, and creating viable mechanisms tor cooperative endeavors.

A sociological study of public library use in Ankara, Turkey

Reports results of a sociological and demographic study of public library users in Ankara, Turkey, in order to determine the level of public use and to isolate the factors affecting this usage. A thorough survey of the history and statistics of Turkish public libraries is followed by the results of the user survey, employing the society survey method, involving 1800 users (aged six years and over) in three socioeconomic stratas. The study took usage of the library as the dependent variable and demographic and socioeconomic properties (age, sex, marital status, educational level, occupation, income level and geographic past) as the independent variables. Other socioeconomic factors (social status and social role) were also considered.

Contemporary Turkish Libraries and Librarianship

This paper describes contemporary Turkish libraries and librarianship. It is based principally on information gleaned during the 1995 conference of the International Federation of Library Associati...

Early ‘art libraries’ in Turkey

Early Turkish libraries, attached to such institutions as mosques and medreses, comprised collections of manuscripts including many of great artistic value. Medreses and their libraries were endowed by the Ottoman rulers, who as patrons of the arts were also responsible for causing many manuscripts to be produced. Scholars owned private libraries, and libraries for the public existed in every district of Istanbul. Many of the collections of these libraries survive, in some cases in museums and in libraries of later origin, in Istanbul University Library, and in the National Library at Ankara.

Acquisition of scientific literature in developing countries

The sixth of a series of articles on the acquisition of scientific literature in developing countries. (The first five were published in 1989). Deals mainly with university libraries. Discusses recent changes in the process of scientific and technical information transfer, including the increase in quantity of scientific literature, increasing specialization among scientists, increases in the cost of scientific materials and technological developments. Summarizes the Turkish background and discusses the problems and procedures of collection development in Turkish academic libraries and the need for library cooperation. Emphasizes the need for adequate library budgets to enable libraries to achieve their collection development objectives.

Turkish libraries: Historical context

Turkish libraries: Historical context

Autographs in Turkish Libraries

Autographs in Turkish Libraries

The Libraries of Turkey

r-,-_~HE library situation in Turkey is characterized by an almost fantastic number of Islamic manuscnpts and by a library service which is below the standard set in western Europe and North America. Perhaps no community in the modern world has gone forward so rapidly as Turkey; and, in the case of library service, much of this progress has been made in the last decade and is still continuing. Despite Turkey's relative poverty (by western European standards) and the many difficulties involved in reconciling oriental and occidental traditions, library service in Turkey is developing rapidly. Perhaps the greatest handicap to Turkish librarianship is the lack of any facilities for systematic professional training. For the last decade Adnan Otiiken, now director of the National Library (Milli Kiitiiphane) in Ankara, has been giving a series of lectures for two hours a week over a two-year period in the University of Ankara. This course has had the very salutary effects of giving some preliminary training and of recruiting many capable young people. However, it is no substitute for the intensive professional training received by librarians in the English-speaking world or for organized systems of apprenticeship and state examinations such as exist in many other countries. Turkish librarians and officials of the Ministry of Education recognize this situation and are making definite plans to give more formal professional training. There will be many difficulties, not the least of which is the fact that there is virtually no professional literature (except for an excellent two-volume introduction to library science and bibliography by Adnan Otiikenl). However, there are promising signs. The newly organized Turkish Library Association is planning to issue an official periodical, and several individual librarians are working on bibliographies, translations, and independent studies. Another handicap is the lack of suitable buildings. Except for some gems of seventeenthand eighteenth-century architecture in Istanbul (the Koprului, the Ahmet III, the Ragip Pa~a, and the Nuruosmaniye), the only building in Turkey expressly constructed as a library is the Robert College Library. One building in the Faculty of Agriculture in Ankara has a well-planned wing with a modem stack well (four tiers, with provision for a fifth) and a poorly planned combination library for the faculties of Law and of Economics in Istanbul with modern steel stacks. A wing planned specifically for library use is under construction for the National Library in Ankara. Otherwise, all Turkish libraries are adaptations of buildings originally constructed for other purposes. The building occupied by the National Library was first intended as a night club for government employees. Most of the libraries of Istanbul are in old medreses or outbuildings of mosques. Most of the university faculty and institute libraries are crammed into any available space that can be found. Fortunately, nearly all libraries are in fireproof or fire-resist-