A Turkic library in Kazakhstan has attracted domestic and foreign experts as well as students of Turkic studies as it has grown to nearly 50,000 books and manuscripts less than 10 years after its inauguration.
The Turkic Library in the palace of Peace and Reconciliation in Kazakhstan's capital city Astana has copies of thousands of books, manuscripts and works of renowned experts of Turkic studies -- including Istvan Kongur and Zeki Velidi Togan.
The purpose of the new library was to create a specialized collection of Turkic studies, librarian Akedil Toysanuli told Anadolu Agency, adding they have a direct relationship with those collecting the books to research Turkology.
Lev Gumilev Eurasia National University Department of Turkology student Saltanat Joldanova visits the library a few times a month for research in Turkic terminology.
Joldanova's dissertation is on Kazakh terminology, and she is also planning to prepare a terminology book based on her dissertation in the future. "I would like my book to not just be used in Kazakhstan and Turkey but in all Turkic countries," she said.
Toysanuli said that along with students from Astana, Turkic studies experts from around the world, especially Hungarians, visit the library to see and examine Mandoky's books, as they do not have opportunity to access these books in their country.
Students from Ahmet Yesevi International Kazakh-Turkish University in the city of Turkistan also visit the library, Toyshanuly said.
"For example, there are writings in the Armeno-Kipchak language in our library. Turkologist Seysenbay Kudasev, who specializes on books in the Armeno-Kipchak language, visited Armenia and brought back seals and writings."
The library was opened in 2010 with nearly 1,500 books given by Kazakhstan Scientific Library and around 850 books from Turkey. Now the number of books has reached 50,000.
Apart from these, 15 books and handwritten manuscripts of the Hungarian expert of Turkic studies Ivan Konor Mandoki were given to the library by the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Toysanuli added.
The Palace of Peace and Reconciliation, also known as the Palace of Peace and Accord, is a symbol of friendship, unity and peace in Kazakhstan. It includes an Academy of the Turkic World.
Kazakhstan, a country of 18 million, has a shared history with today's Turkish nation, as Turkic people groups migrated across Central Asia, ending their journey in modern-day Turkey's Anatolia and Eastern Europe. The Kazakh language is part of the Turkic language group, with many similarities to modern Turkish.
