Library Rules & Regulations

1.1.  Membership

- In order to utilise our research libraries and our branch libraries, researchers and users must be library members. 

-Users may create an online membership at katalog.ibb.gov.tr in order to access and receive benefits from digital resources. 

Members who have registered an account via the "Become Member" tab can only browse the digital collection. 

For Library Membership

-Users who are Turkish citizens can benefit from the library and borrowing services by creating a membership with a document showing their Turkish ID number.  

-Foreign nationals can apply for membership if they have an identity card and a residency permit that is valid for at least six months.

-The user's name, last name, Turkish ID number, email address, home address, birthdate, and phone number—the second one being a relative's number—are necessary for membership. All requested membership information must be filled out. 

-A photograph is required for membership. The photo is taken by the librarian during the membership process.  

-In the libraries, membership procedures for users under the age of 10 can be carried out in the presence of a parent or legal guardian. Users under 5 years of age cannot benefit from membership and borrowing services. Borrowing services of the users in this age group can be carried out through their families.

-Users who are members of any IBB library can benefit from all IBB libraries.

-To complete the membership process through e-Government, users can go to https://www.turkiye.gov.tr/istanbul-buyuksehir-belediyesi and select the "Municipal Libraries Membership Information Inquiry and Membership Application" section. As an alternative, users can download the "Istanbul Senin" (“Istanbul is yours”)  app from the "Play Store / App Store" and finish the membership procedure through the app, or they can click the "Become a Member" option on https://katalog.ibb.gov.tr/yordam/

1.2. Reservation

Before visiting the library, users who wish to use the reservation system should log in using their library membership details at catalogue.ibb.gov.tr and finish the reservation process by choosing the proper day and time from the "Reservation" tab on the top menu. The points to be regarded concerning the reservation system are as follows: 

1. Seating can be reserved one day in advance.

2. Reserved times are greyed out and unreserved times are greened out.

3. In case of no-show, users can log in to the system and cancel their reservations from the ‘Reservation History’ tab.

4. Users must scan the QR code for the reserved seat within the first 15 minutes of the reservation time. Otherwise, the reservation will be cancelled automatically.

5. If necessary, the librarian has the authority to change or cancel reservations. 

6. Users have a break time of 30 minutes. The reservation of users who have not returned to their table after this period will be cancelled. 

7. Users are requested to report any problems with the reservation system to the staff at the library desk.

1.3. Library Usage 

- Pets, suitcases, luggages, suitcases, etc. are not allowed in the library.

- Mobile phones should be kept on mute in the study areas and mobile phones shouldn't be used in these places. 

- Any behaviour that may cause noise in the study areas and corridors should be avoided.

- Only personal vacuum bottles may be used in the library. Drinks and food other than water are not allowed in the reading halls.

-The study spaces should be kept tidy, and no trash should be left on the tables when departing.

- It is not allowed to use cameras, photographers, cell phones, or other devices for unauthorised photography within the library.

-When watching movies, listening to music, or utilising programs with audio components in the library, users should use headphones.

- Library usage areas are for individual research and studies. Group studies are not allowed outside the area designated by the library staff.

- Library users are responsible for protecting their belongings. The library management cannot be held responsible for possible losses and thefts that may occur in the library hall.

- Computers in the library can only be used for education and research aims.

- Memberships of users who cause damage to library information resources (books, magazines, newspapers, etc. all kinds of publications) and items (computers, tables, chairs, etc.) are cancelled and the Directorate of Library and Museums is notified to take legal action against them.

- No books and materials that have not been borrowed are allowed to be taken out of the library by users.

- During clean-up hours, work areas and corridors are emptied and users are not allowed in the work areas until the clean-up is over.

- At the end of the 30-minute break, the belongings of the users who do not return to their desk are taken by the staff of the hall, the desk is emptied and allocated to another user. A user is not allowed to reserve a place for another user.

- Books taken from the shelves should be left on the desks and should not be tried to be placed on the shelf.

- Users are not allowed to use the tools and equipment belonging to the library staff without permission.

- Users are obliged to comply with library rules. Users who disregard the warnings of the library staff and act outside the rules described in the directives will be subject to legal action and their membership to the library will be terminated.

- Users are kindly requested to report any problems to the library staff.

1.4. Borrowing and Return

- Members are allowed to borrow 3 books at a time.

- The duration of the book loan is 30 days.

- For once, the book's usage duration can be extended by 15 days if the return date is drawing near. In addition to using the automation system with the library's online membership, this can be done via phone or email.

- The period of use of the book whose return date is approaching can be extended for 15 days for once. This can be done by phone or e-mail, as well as through the automation system with the library's online membership.

- For books that are not returned on time, no new books will be lent to the user for the day they are overdue.

- Borrowing and return operations are completed 15 minutes before the library closes.

-The Atatürk Library and IPA Istanbul Library do not lend "Warehouse Special Collections," "Reference Books," "Atatürk Books," "Istanbul Department Books," or "Periodicals." 

- In branch libraries, "reference books" and "periodicals" are not loaned. 

-  In case the borrowed book is lost or damaged, the same book (edition of the same publishing house) or a book determined by the librarian must be delivered to the library.

1.5. Copying Service

The Law No. 5846 on “Intellectual and Artistic Works” protects both printed and electronic resources, and only a portion of the book may be scanned or copied from the original source. Accordingly, it is allowed to take a copy of no more than 10% of the work at libraries that offer copying services. 

- Libraries do not provide print-out services using digital means such as flash discs, CDs, e-mails, etc.