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Laman Ismayilova

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Sometimes reading books offers a bookish person as much pleasure as anything else. Reading in the library is a particular delight.

Azerbaijan National Library is a great place to enjoy reading in the peaceful and cozy atmosphere.

Established in 1922, the library is a treasure trove of knowledge for bookworms.

With over 5 million books, manuscripts, maps, Azerbaijan National Library is considered one of the largest libraries in the Caucasus region. Since 1939, the library has borne the name of the eminent playwright Mirza Fatali Akhundov.

The library has an extensive collection of literature in Azerbaijani, Russian, English and other languages. It has collected and preserved national editions, works of Azerbaijani and foreign authors about Azerbaijan published abroad. The National Leader Heydar Aliyev visited the National Library four times in 1995-1997 and donated nearly 300 books from his personal library.

In 2004, Mirza Fatali Akhundov Library was granted the status of National Library by the decision of the Cabinet of Ministers.

The building of the library is no less impressive. The library's faсade is decorated with the the statues of eminent poets and writers like Nizami Ganjavi, Mahsati Ganjavi, Uzeyir Hajibayli, Shota Rustaveli, Alexander Pushkin and many others.

The scope of the library's activities is constantly expanding. In 2005, on the basis of legal copies received from publishing houses and printing companies, the library published the yearbook "Books of Azerbaijan" for 1990, 1991, 2000, 2001.

Over the past years, the National Library has signed a memorandum on bilateral mutual cooperation with about 80 libraries.

The library also became a member of the international organization "The Conference of European national librarians (CENL)".

In 2021, the Culture Ministry and Mirza Fatali Akhundov Library launched a joint campaign "Let's go to Karabakh with a book" to restore libraries in Karabakh region.

A large number of books were donated to the Karabakh book fund by a number of international organizations working in the field of culture, Turkic-speaking countries, famous foreign and local authors, publishers, and print houses.

The Turkish Professional Union of the Authors of Scientific and Literary Works (ILESAM) donated 10,000 books to the fund for libraries to be restored in Karabakh.

Moreover, a campaign "Let's go to Karabakh with a book" operated during the 8th Baku International Book Fair.

Around 500 books were donated by People's Writer Elchin Afandiyev as well.

The Institute of Education also joined the book campaign, presenting some 5,263 copies of 300 books.

The embassy of Kazakhstan handed over books on science, culture, and history as well as anthologies of Kazakh prose and poetry.

Azerbaijan National Library is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year.

Throughout its 100-year history, the library has played a key role in preserving Azerbaijan's cultural heritage and promoting knowledge and education.

To mark this milestone, the Azerbaijan National Library has launched a virtual exhibition "Azerbaijan National Library -100", as well as a traditional book exhibition "100 years at the service of the people".

The exhibitions present photos, books and articles about the library, opinions of eminent persons and other materials.

The National Library will continue to host a series of events and initiatives to showcase its rich history and cultural significance.

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