Türkiye plans to open 10 new-generation libraries in 2027, digitize 20,000 manuscripts and rare works, and restore 1,100 others as part of efforts to expand library services, preserve knowledge and pass cultural heritage on to future generations.
The initiative aims to transform libraries from places primarily used to store and lend books into dynamic spaces where knowledge is produced and shared, while also providing opportunities for people to come together and socialize.
Since 2018, 29 new-generation libraries have been built across Türkiye, while 616 existing libraries have been renovated and equipped with modern facilities before reopening to the public.
Türkiye has more than 1,300 public libraries, with a combined indoor area of over 777,000 square meters and seating capacity for 160,000 people.
As of 2025, public libraries across the country held 26.1 million books, had 7.2 million registered members and welcomed 39.2 million visitors.
Next year, the government plans to open 10 new-generation libraries, complete construction on 12 more and redesign 12 others to improve their functionality.
Plans also include completing construction on two cultural centers and opening them to the public next year as part of broader efforts to strengthen cultural infrastructure.
The Turkish Manuscripts Institution holds 811,527 manuscripts and rare printed works in its collections, preserving the intellectual heritage of Islamic and Turkish-Islamic history.
Since 2012, a total of 27,201 manuscripts and rare printed works have been acquired and added to its collections, while the digitization rate of works held in manuscript libraries has reached 93%.
In 2027, the institution plans to digitize 20,000 manuscripts and rare works and create digital archives for them, while restoring another 1,100 manuscripts and rare items.
It also aims to acquire 4,000 manuscripts and rare printed works from public and private collections in Türkiye and abroad through purchases and donations, adding them to the country's manuscript libraries.
The program also calls for the publication of 45 Turkish-Islamic classics, the cataloging of 27,000 works and the organization of 251 cultural and scientific events in Türkiye and abroad focusing on manuscripts and rare books.
