Rare Books Preservation Project in the Academy Library of Tajikistan
http://exchanges.state.gov/culprop/afcp/

The Central Scientific Library of the Academy of Sciences of Tajikistan, has a unique collection of rare books and documents that are a part of Tajik cultural heritage. The rare books collection is total comprises of more than 15,000 volumes. Ambassador's Funds for Cultural Preservation ( USA) supports the library project with aims to preserve this information and make it accessible for Tajik and international public by combining the traditional methods with new systems, The strategy incorporates digitalization of rare documents to provide an electronic data base.

• Rare Books and Special Collection Department was organized as the result of this project; almost three thousand books were moved from first floor of the library building to the second floor in the special rooms with iron door and still bars.

• Oldenburg Cabinet was opened for patrons, the Memorial room named after Academician S.Oldenburg, first Chairman of Tajikistan Base of the Academy of Sciences and one of the founders of the Academic Library in 1933 year, where concentrated rare books from his personal book collection.

• Digital Project Laboratory was established, where Library Working Group (LWG) works under book scanning and creates the Meta Data. During the current project period LWR prepared scanning materials and Meta Data for CD and library Web site and produces a range of online research tools. Library pays special attention to the rare geographic maps of the region, publications about Islamic Studies, traveler’s memoirs etc. and prepared scanning these materials for CD.

• Exhibition of the Rare Books was opened, the Miniature books and Dissertation about Tajikistan for public Access in the special reading room. Through its exhibition the Library has become well known for its exploration of historic and contemporary humanities studies and provided the extensive archival collections.

• Electronic Catalog of the rare books will be demonstrated in Internet.

• The unique example of rare books store in our collection are first Russian- Tajik Languages, where first time in the history the Tajik languages was indicated as Tajik. LWG made digital copy and facsimile paper copies of this dictionary. We are publishing this Dictionary on CD with opportunity for patrons to print this book.

• This project serves the conservation community through scientific research, education, and training, model field projects, and the dissemination of information. A unique aspect of this project was the teaching component, which brought together staff from Academic library and librarians of the US, Kazakhstan and Russia ( American consultants involve in the project, Tajikistan staff had the training in Almaty, seminar with Russian consultant participation held in Dushanbe).

• Academy Library introduced the Greenstone; the electronic library soft is a suite of software for building and distributing digital library collections of the rare books. It provides a new way of organizing information and publishing it on the Internet.

UNESCO Programme Memory of the World
http://www.unesco.kz/mow/
http://www.unesco.org/webworld/mdm/register/index.html

Documentary heritage reflects the diversity of languages, peoples and cultures. It is the mirror of the world and its memory. But this memory is fragile. Every day, irreplaceable parts of this memory disappear for ever.

UNESCO has launched the Memory of the World Programme to guard against collective amnesia calling upon the preservation of the valuable archive holdings and library collections all over the world ensuring their wide dissemination.

The Memory of the World Register lists documentary heritage which has been identified by the International Advisory Committee in its meetings in Tashkent (September 1997), in Vienna (June 1999) and in Cheongju City (June 2001) and endorsed by the Director-General of UNESCO as corresponding the selection criteria for world significance

http://www.rsl.ru/comp.asp?3.htm

Academy Library has cooperation with Library Assembly of Eurasia, association of many libraries in the Eurasia information space.