The Central Scientific library of Academy
of Sciences of Republic of Tajikistan, the largest scientific,
cultural-educational institution of Republic of Tajikistan,
was established in 1933.
The library moved from collecting literature about Tajikistan
and Central Asia to the acquisition of literature in many
various fields of science and technology, turning it into
the largest library of the Central Asian region by the end
of the 20th century. At present the entire collection of the
library system consists of about 1, 5 million items.
In 2003 the library, in partnership with IATP,
opened an Internet access hall, allowing library readers to
receive access to five databases published by EBSCO Corporation,
which increased the virtual collection of the library.
The library readers are also able to work with informational
resources such as resources of INASP
and INTAS. Utilization
of electronic versions of information sources is at present
a vital necessity and expresses a definite breakthrough in
the use of modern technologies.
From 2004 the Academy library has been working on the project
of preservation and access to its rare books by the means
of digitizing. This project is carried out with the support
of the US
Ambassador’s Fund on Cultural Preservation.
The library possesses a diverse book collection in more than
twenty world languages, and also a unique rare books collection.
The library has been embellished by the donated private collections
of the noted scientists S. Oldenburg, M. Andreev, E. Pavlovskiy,
I. Narzikulov, and M. Asimov. These now constitute part of
the rare books collection of the library. The rare books collection
of the Academy library also includes a significant miniature
book collection, the exhibition of which attracts readers’
interest.
At present the library serves over 14 thousand readers a
year. The traditional search system of the library consists
of over 4 million catalog cards and card indexes, and also
a collection of reference-bibliographic literature of more
than 20 thousand items.
The library has an electronic catalog of the book collection
of the project “Pushkin library”, created with the support
of Soros Foundation.
At present the Academy library is the only library in the
republic which has created an electronic version of the catalog
of dissertations defended from 1948 in the Academy of Sciences
and kept in the library. The catalog uses IRBIS software.
The library is actively collaborating with the National Commission
of UNESCO in their program
“World Memory”, by initiating inclusion of a library manuscript
of the XIV century in the International "World Memory"
register.
From 1952 the library has carried out scientific-publishing
activity. At present the library has published several large
retrospective bibliographic indexes, as well as over 80 issues
of Materials of Bio-bibliography of the Scientists of Tajikistan.
Since 1955 the library has maintained an international exchange
of books and journals with more than 40 partners in 22 countries.
The Academy library today places high emphasis on the popularization
of, and access to, scientific knowledge and book treasures
kept in the library. For that purpose, there are regularly
organized book-illustrative exhibitions of thematic and personal
character.
Exhibitions emphasizing friendship relations with other countries
also enjoy wide popularity. There have been exhibitions devoted
to the Day of India Republic, Russian Federation, Chinese
Peoples Republic, Day of Kazakhstan and others.
The library hosts scientists and specialists from abroad,
actively implements new information technologies, and facilitates
professional development of the staff.
In the course of several years the library has been providing
internships for Dushanbe university students, conducting excursions
for schoolchildren, actively participating in the work of
the Library Society of Tajikistan, and conducting surveys
and seminars.
The work of the library is recognized with governmental awards.
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