Mirza Fatali Akhundov National Library of Azerbaijan

Overview

The National Library of Azerbaijan, officially the Mirza Fatali Akhundov National Library, is the central state library of the Republic of Azerbaijan, located on Khagani Street in Baku. It is named for Mirza Fatali Akhundov, a 19th-century Azerbaijani dramatist and philosopher.

History

The library was founded in 1922 as the "General Library and State Book Storage" of Azerbaijan, with early support from the libraries of the Imperial Technical Society's Baku branch and the Baku Public Society, which together donated about 5,000 volumes; its first director, with a staff of 13, was M. Salimov. It officially opened to the public on May 23, 1923. By 1925 the collection numbered about 51,000 titles, growing to roughly 300,000 by 1928. On July 11, 1939, the library was renamed in honor of Mirza Fatali Akhundov. In 1960 the library moved into its current purpose-built building, designed by architect Mikayil Huseynov, a recognized historical and architectural monument. In 1962 the library was granted permission to establish exchange ties with the Bibliothèque nationale de France. In 2004, by decision of the Cabinet of Ministers, the institution was granted the status of "National Library," and in 2005 it joined the Conference of European National Librarians.

Collections, Holdings, and Publications

The library's collection numbers roughly 4.5 to 4.7 million items, including books, periodicals, newspapers, maps, and dissertations. By law it receives multiple mandatory copies of every new book and periodical published in Azerbaijan. Its Rare Books and Library Museum section holds early examples of Azerbaijani book culture, including lithographically printed works and the first printed books in the Azerbaijani language, alongside its archive fund of originals and photocopies of 91 newspapers spanning 1875 to 1930. The building has 14 specialized reading halls and can seat approximately 500 readers.

Access and Usage

Any Azerbaijani or foreign citizen may obtain a reader card by presenting identification. The library launched an internet hall in 2000 and a training/education center in 2001, and has since adopted automated library management systems and signed cooperation agreements with numerous national libraries internationally, including those of France, Egypt, Russia, Morocco, Austria, Qatar, and Belarus.