Aiming to establish a comprehensive collection on Istanbul in particular, as well as cities across Turkey and the world, the IPA Istanbul Library (Istanbul Urban Studies Library) hosts over 18,000 printed books, primarily focused on urban studies, architecture, city planning, and related fields.

Opened to the public on July 5–6, 2022, within the Özlem Türeci – Uğur Şahin IPA Campus, the IPA Istanbul Library was established as a "specialized library" and has since been gathering both printed and digital resources related to Istanbul.

Working in integration with the Atatürk Library, which has been transformed into a research library, the IPA Istanbul Library supports Istanbul-centered academic productions by offering priority services and dedicated workspaces to guest researchers through research support programs.

Our library operates on a 1,250 square meter area and has a capacity for 220 users.

Reservations Required

To use the IPA Istanbul Library, visitors must make a reservation. The two-story library welcomes general users to its lower floor with online reservations. The upper floor is reserved for researchers focusing on Istanbul and urban studies. For further information, you may contact: kutuphane@ipa.istanbul

Borrowing Services and Membership

All residents of the surrounding area can benefit from the borrowing services of all libraries affiliated with the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Directorate of Libraries and Museums, including the IPA Istanbul Library.

To become a member, readers can use the “İBB Kütüphane Mini App” available in the İstanbul Senin mobile application to quickly register and access services.

Membership can also be completed via e-Devlet (turkiye.gov.tr) by searching for “İstanbul Büyükşehir Belediyesi Kütüphane” and clicking the “Belediye Kütüphaneleri Üyelik Bilgileri Sorgulama ve Üyelik Başvurusu” link. After filling in the required fields on the page and clicking the “Apply” button, members can access services with the SMS and email passwords sent to them.

Alternatively, membership can also be obtained by visiting the library in person with an official and valid form of identification such as a Turkish ID card, driver’s license, or passport.

Reservation Rules

You can make your reservation by following these steps:

• Visit https://katalog.ibb.gov.tr and log in with your library membership.

• Click on the “Reservation” tab in the top menu and select your preferred seat and time on the map.

• At your reservation time, scan the QR code sent to your phone at the kiosk located at the library entrance for both check-in and check-out.

Reservations can also be made through the İBB Kütüphane Mini App in the İstanbul Senin application.

Key Rules:

• Seating areas can be reserved one day in advance.

• A maximum of 3 reservations can be made per day. The QR code of the first reservation must be scanned to make a second reservation.

• Reserved times appear in gray, available times in green.

• Reservations can be canceled through the system.

• If you don’t check in within 15 minutes of the reserved time, the reservation will be automatically canceled.

• The library staff may modify or cancel reservations if necessary.

• Food and drinks are not allowed inside the library, except for personal thermoses.

Important Note

Membership created through the “Sign Up” tab on katalog.ibb.gov.tr only grants access to the digital collection.

To make reservations, access the reservation page through the İBB Kütüphane Mini App in the İstanbul Senin mobile application.