State institution"National Library

National Library of Tajikistan The library was established in 1933 on the basis of the library of Stalinabad, the capital of the Tajik Soviet Socialist Republic. A year later, it was named after Abulqasim Ferdowsi, a classic of Persian-Tajik literature. In 1993, the State Republican Library named after Abulqasim Ferdowsi was granted the status of the National Library. The inauguration ceremony of the new building of the National Library of Tajikistan, which is under the Executive Office of the President of the Republic of Tajikistan, took place on March 20, 2012, on the eve of the international celebration of Navruz. The ceremony was attended by the Founder of Peace and National Unity, Leader of the Nation and President of the Republic of Tajikistan, Emomali Rahmon. The new nine-storey building was designed in the shape of an open book and meets modern international standards. It is 167 metres long and 52 metres high and consists of four sections. Section A has nine floors and a basement; sections B and C each have six floors and a basement; and section D consists of four floors. The total area of the library is 44,078 square metres. The central façade is decorated with 22 busts of prominent figures in Tajik science and literature. The National Library of Tajikistan (NLT) is a state institution responsible for preserving cultural heritage, safeguarding documents and the national press archive, and serving as a national centre for scientific research, methodology, information and culture. It promotes the development of library science, bibliography and book studies, as well as the introduction of new information technologies. The National Library is the largest repository of manuscripts, printed publications and literary works in the Republic of Tajikistan. In terms of its functions, the NLT meets the main UNESCO requirements for libraries of this level. The library publishes various bibliographic materials of a scientific, supplementary and advisory nature. Annual calendars of significant and commemorative dates in Tajikistan are widely used. Sociological research is also conducted on the development of public library networks, readers' visits to rural libraries, the development of national bibliography and other related issues. The National Library of Tajikistan is considered one of the greatest national achievements of the Tajik people. Its collections include works by classical Persian-Tajik writers and prominent scholars, including Ibn al-Muqaffa, al-Tabari, Rudaki, Ferdowsi, Biruni, Ibn Sina, Omar Khayyam, Rumi, Jami, Ahmad Donish, Sadriddin Ayni, Bobojon Ghafurov, Mirzo Tursunzoda and many others. The library's collection is regularly enriched with works by contemporary scholars, writers and poets of the republic. The number of modern scientific publications in the Tajik language has also increased. Government institutions, organisations, enterprises and all citizens of the republic may use the services of the National Library of Tajikistan, regardless of their nationality, race, gender, language, religious beliefs, political views, social status, education or property status. Every year, the library organises approximately 150 events for the general public and specialists. These include conferences, seminars, round-table discussions, literary evenings, book exhibitions, information days, open days and presentations. The main structural units of the library consist of 36 specialised departments and four centres. Their activities cover all areas of library and bibliographic services. More than 400 specialists work in these departments and centres. The library has 27 reading rooms with a total capacity of 1,500 seats. There are 274 automated workstations available for readers. For conferences and symposia, the library has nine halls with a total capacity of 1,200 seats, as well as three book exhibition spaces. These include a book museum for displaying ancient manuscripts and rare books, and a book gallery for organising exhibitions on various fields of science and knowledge. The library also operates a New Books Reading Room, where recently acquired publications, including books, newspapers and magazines, are displayed for readers. Newspapers are updated daily, magazines according to their publication schedules, either monthly or quarterly, and books as new purchases arrive. The library also serves as a scientific and methodological centre for libraries throughout the republic, providing regional libraries with comprehensive methodological and advisory assistance. The National Library of Tajikistan develops a universal collection based on the principles of comprehensive acquisition and preservation. Over the years of its operation, the library's collection has grown by more than 1.6 times and currently contains over three million different documents in 50 languages of the world. One of the library's main priorities is acquiring publications in the Tajik language, as well as publications about Tajikistan, regardless of where they are published. Every year, the library receives an average of 30,000–35,000 items, including books, magazines, newspapers, audio recordings, regulatory and technical documents, research papers, monographs, bibliographic guides, directories, encyclopaedias and statistical collections. In addition to legal deposit copies, the main sources for expanding the National Library's collections include bookstores, direct equivalent book exchanges with foreign libraries under agreements, purchases through intermediary organisations and private individuals, and donated books. Donating the personal libraries of prominent scholars and academicians of the Republic of Tajikistan has become a valued tradition. A modern automated library and information system based on the ALEPH software has been introduced at the library. This system is widely used in international library practice. It consists of two parts. The first part is designed for library staff and includes five modules: acquisitions, cataloguing, serials management, reader services through interlibrary loans, and administrative control. These modules are connected to automated workstations. The second part of the programme, OPAC (Online Public Access Catalogue), is intended for readers. It allows users to search for the books they need through the electronic catalogue and place orders. To comply with the new automated library and information system based on the principle of "Book — Reader — Reading", the National Library of Tajikistan's collection was barcode-labelled for the first time. In the age of information technology, the library continues to develop. Many literary works preserved in its collections are being converted into digital format. Students from various educational institutions use the library's resources. The library has a local area network. It also operates a specialised hall providing access to electronic resources and full-text archival materials, including dissertations, journals and educational literature. The hall is equipped with 170 automated workstations for reader services. An electronic document delivery system is also in operation. Through automated workstations, users have free access to the following resources: The electronic catalogue and card catalogues of the National Library of Tajikistan. The electronic resources of the National Library of Tajikistan. The digital library of the National Library of Tajikistan. The centralised legal information database "lawinfo.kmt.tj". In addition to its internal electronic resources, the library provides readers with access to the electronic dissertation library of the Russian State Library. The digitisation of printed documents and the creation of a database of rare book texts related to the history and culture of the republic, as well as Tajik newspapers and magazines from the early twentieth century, represent a pioneering initiative. These publications include "Bukhoro-i Sharif" (1912–1913), "Oina" (1913–1915), "Rahbari Donish" (1927–1932), "Shulai Inqilob" (1919–1921), "Inqilobi Madani" (1930–1937) and "Baroi Adabiyoti Sotsialisti" (1932–1941). At present, the National Library of Tajikistan actively cooperates with more than 60 foreign organisations and institutions and over 20 major libraries in other countries. Since 2006, the NLT has been a member of regional organisations, including the Eurasian Library Assembly (ELA) and the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO). The library maintains international book exchange relations with 28 countries. Memorandums of Understanding are in force between the National Library of Tajikistan and 10 foreign libraries. The National Library is a member of major international library organisations, including the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA), with the right to participate in two of its sections: "National Libraries" and "Preservation and Conservation", as well as the Association of Eurasian Libraries. In terms of the volume of reader services, the National Library of Tajikistan is the largest library in the republic. Its reading rooms, which are organised according to different fields of knowledge and types of publications, provide more than 1,800 seats. Currently, the total number of registered users exceeds 200,000. Approximately 1,000–1,200 readers visit the library every day. The National Library of Tajikistan considers integration into the global information space, the introduction and development of new technologies, the creation of a national collection of written heritage and other documents directly or indirectly related to Tajikistan, and ensuring broad public access to this collection among its priority objectives.