Near East Formation Libraries, which provide access to more than 4 million printed resources and 1 billion online resources in total with the Near East University Grand Library, Kyrenia University Grand Library and Yeniboğaziçi Grand Library. “Library Week” It was celebrated with events with intense participation.
Within the scope of the events, the “Library and Literature Talks” panel, organized in cooperation with the Near East Formation Libraries and Culture Department, brought together the country’s leading writers.
Near East University Faculty of Science and Letters Lecturer and Head of Cyprus Research Center Prof. Dr. In the panel chaired by Şevket Öznur; Culture Department Director Şirin Zaferyıldızı Zaimağaoğlu, writer Mehmet Kansu and writer Eralp Adanır made a presentation. The opening speech of the panel was made by Near East University Faculty of Communication Deputy Dean Assoc. While Ayhan Dolunay was making the presentation, the first presentation was made by Şirin Zaferyıldızı Zaimağaoğlu, Director of the Culture Department.
Assoc. Dr. Ayhan Dolunay: “In our libraries, we bring together a wide archive, from rare works to current scientific resources, not only to our students but also to all our people.”
Near East University Grand Library Director and Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Communication, who made the opening speech of the panel, said: “The Near East University Grand Library, the University of Kyrenia Grand Library and the Near East Yeniboğaziçi Campus Grand Library, which are within the Near East Formation, offer a wide archive from rare works to current scientific resources only for our students.” “It brings together all our people,” he said. Assoc. Dr. Stating that the Near East Formation Libraries offer access to more than 4 million printed resources and 1 billion online resources, Ayhan Dolunay said, “Our libraries provide educational, cultural and educational opportunities of our country with facilities such as desks for 1500 people, lecture halls, individual and group study rooms, exhibition halls and classrooms.” “It is an artistic center,” he said.
Assoc. Dr. Ayhan Dolunay said, “We will continue to provide services worthy of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus by providing free services to the entire community.”
Shirin Zaferyıldızı Zaimağaoğlu:“I found myself by writing, and I was happy.”
In the panel, Culture Department Director Şirin Zaferyıldızı Zaimağaoğlu explained how she started writing poetry and quoted from her poetry book “Let Children Grow Up with Poems”. Şirin Zaferyıldızı Zaimağaoğlu said, “I am happy with art, writing and reading poetry. My family gave me great support during this process. “I lost my mother at a young age, I found myself through writing, and I was happy,” he said. Zaferyıldızı Zaimağaoğlu, who has done many studies in the field of “Children’s Literature” in TRNC, stated that his poetry book was very popular and therefore he had 4-5 editions. Şirin Zaferyıldızı Zaimağaoğlu is also; He stated that he was trying to make children love poetry with a television program called ‘Let Children Grow Up with Poems’. Şirin Zaferyıldızı Zaimağaoğlu stated that she loved people, teaching and being a manager, and that she always dreamed and invited beauty into her life with positive thoughts and said, “I loved being a mother the most. Despite everything, I managed to be a woman who works and produces and has a career. “Dream, set goals and achieve them,” he said.
Eralp Adanır: “If you give up your books, donate them to libraries.”
Writer Eralp Adanır, who started his speech by quoting a news article in the Hürsöz newspaper published in the TRNC in the 1940s, read the news titled “The library in Limassol is being established” in the newspaper. Mentioning that libraries have an important place in every society from past to present, Adanır touched upon the importance of librarianship, books and reading. Stating that libraries are the best places to preserve books, Adanır said, “We must protect our libraries, which are social memory. “Even in a war, the first place to be destroyed is libraries because libraries are the memory of a society,” he said.
Emphasizing that unused books should be donated to corporate libraries, Adanır said, “In a study we conducted during the pandemic period, we saw and even heard that books were thrown away. This made us very sad. “Love books, read them, keep them, and if you have to give them up, don’t throw them away, take them to libraries and donate them,” he said. Giving examples from the libraries he went to during his childhood, Adanır said; “I still remember that smell in the libraries, the squeak of the wooden floors still in my ears when I walk. “The responsibilities we gained by buying and giving books are still in our memory,” he said.
Mehmet Kansu: “You are very valuable as a subject, realize this…”
Author Mehmet Kansu touched upon the importance of reading books, bookstores and libraries in his presentation; He stated that he owned books with the pocket money he saved since his childhood. Giving examples from the books he read, Kansu gave various advice to the participants. Stating that he was doing ‘collage poetry work’, Kansu stated that he enjoyed it very much and that he loved witnessing people’s lives. Kansu said, “Ask questions, do not hesitate to ask questions and research. Constantly question everything, every moment. “You are very valuable as a subject, realize this and direct your life accordingly,” he said.
