A History of Ottoman Libraries (Ottoman and Turkish Studies)

This volume tells the story of the development and the organization of Ottoman libraries from the fourteenth through the twentieth century. The book surveys the phases through which the history of Ottoman libraries evolved and lays out the organization, the personnel, and day-to-day functioning of these institutions. "A History of Ottoman Libraries tells the story of the development and the organization of Ottoman libraries from the fourteenth through the twentieth century. In the first part, the book surveys the phases through which the Ottoman libraries evolved from a few shelves of books to sizable, endowed collections housed in free-standing library buildings. Ottoman libraries were mainly established as charitable foundations, that is by endowing the books and steady income for the maintenance of the collection and the library building. The second part of the book focuses on the organization, the personnel, and the day-to-day functioning of Ottoman libraries. This first complete history of Ottoman libraries was written based on hitherto untapped archival sources"-- Provided by publisher Contents Acknowledgments Illustrations Note on Transcription and Dates Preface Introduction Part 1: Historical Development 1. Early Ottoman Libraries (1299–1453) 2. From College and Mosque Libraries to the Independent Library (1453–1650s) 3. Independent and Large College Libraries (1650s–1730) 4. The Expansion and Reorganization of the Ottoman Library System (1730–1839) 5. Foundation Libraries in the Age of Reforms (1839–1922) Part 2: Organization 6. Personnel 7. The Establishment and Maintenance of Collections 8. Catalogues and Cataloguing 9. Services Offered 10. Budgets and Audits 11. Library Buildings and Furnishing Conclusion Bibliography Index