The Atatürk Library, which operates under the Istanbul MetropolitanMunicipality Directorate of Libraries and Museums, is one of the mostdistinguished libraries in Turkey, housing more than 700,000 works. Itscollection includes Ottoman printed books, periodicals, manuscripts, rareworks in foreign languages, maps, postcards, yearbooks, calendars, andprivate archives, making it home to one of the country's most valuablecollections.

The roots of the Atatürk Library go back to the early years of the Republic.Established in 1924 under the name "Şehremaneti Library," the librarycontinued to grow with significant donations and collections and servedbetween 1939 and 1981 as the Istanbul Municipal Library at the historic II.Bayezid Madrasah.

The story of the library's current building dates back to the 50th anniversaryof the Republic. The foundation was laid by the Koç Foundation in 1973,and the building was handed over to the municipality in 1976. Since 1981, ithas operated under the name Atatürk Library.

The Atatürk Library serves as the central library of the Directorate ofLibraries and Museums, and all libraries under this directorate function asits branches.

Thanks to its location and rich content, the Atatürk Library is an importantcenter shaping the city’s intellectual and cultural climate. With its uniquearchives and collections, it is a primary resource for local and internationalresearchers and is open to all.

As of September 5, 2022, the library has been restructured as a researchlibrary, again making its collections available to researchers. The library'sever-expanding event calendar and the publication of new works are alsopart of this ongoing process.

To develop the collection, the directorate makes annual acquisitions of rareworks and current publications. Thousands of rare works, special archives,and current publications have been added to the collection throughpurchase and donation.

The Atatürk Library, which houses one of Turkey's richest collections ofOttoman books, also contains a complete set of 17 books printed at theMüteferrika Printing House.

The collection also includes important maps of Istanbul, most of which arehand-crafted. These maps are being digitized by our units.

In the document archive, there are collections from significant figures suchas Ali Fuat Cebesoy, Kazım Karabekir, Rauf Orbay, Fahreddin Pasha (theDefender of Medina)—all commanders of the National Struggle period;Hüseyin Safiye Elbi—one of the first Turkish nurses; İbnü’l-Emin MahmudKemal İnal—a prominent intellectual of the late Ottoman period; architectKemaleddin; Muhsin Ertuğrul—one of the founders of Turkish theater; andmusicologist Tanburi Laika Karabey.

The photo archive, which contains approximately 95,000 photographs,features valuable images ranging from city life to archaeology and fromacross the Ottoman geography to portraits of people. This collectionincludes photographs from Ottoman-era photographers such as Sebah &Joaillier, the Abdullah Brothers, the Gülmez Brothers, Nikola Andriomenos,Robertson, Phebus, Pascal Sebah, Othmar, Ali Sami, and Ahmet Münir, aswell as works by local artists. It is possible to access historical imagesbelonging not only to Istanbul but to all regions of Anatolia.

Additionally, it is possible to access the photographic archives of notableindividuals such as İzzet Günay, architect Hüsrev Taylan, architect SinanGenim, Commander Rauf Orbay, Fahreddin Pasha, and painter EleonoraArhelaou.

As an important example of modern architectural design in Turkey, theAtatürk Library is of particular significance in terms of Republicanarchitecture and maintains its place in Istanbul’s architectural memory.

Users can access the digital archive, which contains more than 6 millionrecords, as well as the catalogs of all our libraries, at:ataturkkitapligi.ibb.gov.tr.

All residents of the area can benefit from the lending services of not only theAtatürk Library but also all libraries affiliated with the Istanbul MetropolitanMunicipality Directorate of Libraries and Museums under the City Historyand Promotion Department. Readers who wish to become members canquickly register and access our services by using the IBB Library Miniapplication through the "İstanbul Senin" mobile app.

For membership transactions via the government portal (e-Devlet), usersshould log in to turkiye.gov.tr, search for "İstanbul Büyükşehir BelediyesiKütüphane" (Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Library), and click on the"Belediye Kütüphaneleri Üyelik Bilgileri Sorgulama ve Üyelik Başvurusu"(Inquiry and Application for Municipal Library Membership Information) linkthat appears. On the page that opens for new membership, after filling inthe required information, they can complete the process by clicking the'Apply' button. By logging in with the passwords they receive via SMS andemail, they can benefit from all the services of IBB libraries.

Readers wishing to become members can also visit our libraries with anyofficial identification such as a Turkish ID card, driver’s license, or passport.

Capacity: 4,158 m², 226 people

Address: Gümüşsuyu, Miralay Şefikbey Sok. No:6, Beyoğlu