24.12.2025
ANNUAL REVIEW: THE SCIENTIFIC LIBRARY – “A PARADISE FOR BOOK LOVERS”
In the regular
“Annual Review” section, we present the Scientific Library of Abai University.
A library is not merely a place for storing books; it is a space where
knowledge and thought intersect, and where science and spirituality are
harmoniously united. Here, every book is a voice from the past, and every
reader is the owner of the future. The Scientific Library of Abai University
connects the intellectual heritage of humanity accumulated over centuries with
the present generation, becoming a golden bridge leading to knowledge. The
collection of this “paradise for book lovers” is expanding every year.
Abai Library is
the main spiritual center of Abai University. Founded in 1928, it is now one of
the largest university libraries in the country and an active member of the
Association of Libraries of Higher Education Institutions of the Republic of
Kazakhstan. The library is collection exceeds 1.7 million items, including rare
editions from the 17th–19th centuries. In 2025, the library played an important
role in fulfilling the university is educational, research, and
cultural-enlightenment mission, carrying out its activities in a systematic and
effective manner.
In 2025, the
library is collection was expanded in accordance with the university is
educational programs and enriched with 4,956 new items of textbooks, teaching
and methodological materials, scientific literature, and fiction. As of today
in 2025, the total collection of the library comprises 1,716,371 items.
The Scientific
Library served 22,356 users. The annual number of book loans amounted to
987,548, while the number of visits reached 1,588,653. The electronic library
was accessed 189,570 times, and the library is website was viewed 371,236
times.
The library
operates using the automated IRBIS 64+ system. The number of bibliographic
records in the electronic catalog is 105,252. The electronic library is
available to users 24/7 via the university website, as well as through the
Univer and Abaidigital platforms.
This year,
approximately 40 scientific and cultural events were organized at the
Scientific Library, including international forums, scientific weeks, book
presentations, seminars, webinars, and book exhibitions. Meaningful events
dedicated to the 180th anniversary of Abai Kunanbayuly highlighted the
importance of the library as a scientific and cultural center. In addition, a
modern typhlological complex for users with special needs operates on a
permanent basis at Abai Library.
It should be
noted that the total area of the Scientific Library is 1,476 square meters. The
library structure includes 7 departments (acquisitions and processing,
cataloging and systematization, book storage, user services and service
support, automation, cultural and leisure activities, and information and
bibliographic services), 5 reading rooms with 368 seats, and an electronic
resources room with 40 seats. As a result of the implementation of RFID
technologies, the reading rooms in academic buildings No. 5 and No. 10 operate
in an open and accessible format.
The Scientific
Library of Abai University will continue to provide high-quality information
support to students and researchers, harmoniously combining tradition and
innovation, books and digital technologies, and will further develop as a
modern intellectual center serving education and science. For students, it is a
source of knowledge; for scholars, a space for free thought and research; and
for society, a reliable pillar in preserving spiritual values and guiding the
way to the future.