The Presidential Library in the capital Ankara will now be open for 1,500 book lovers 24 hours a day, seven days a week after Turkey’s gradual easing of coronavirus restrictions.
The 5,000-capacity library had been closed to visitors from March 15 to May 31, 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was later opened with a limited capacity of 1,000 between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. as of June 1, 2020.
With an increase in Turkey's COVID-19 vaccination rate and the relaunch of face-to-face education at schools and higher studies institutions affiliated with the Education Ministry, the working hours and visitor capacity of the Presidential Library have also been updated.
According to the latest arrangement, the library will stay open 24 hours a day, seven days a week and will host 1,500 bibliophiles and researchers.
The reading halls on the second and fourth floors of the library, as well as the Rare Books Library, the Research Library, the Cihannuma (World Atlas) Hall and the Reference Section will be open day and night.
The Youth Library, for readers between the ages of 10 and 15, the Nasreddin Hodja Children's Library, named after the famous Seljuk satirist and available for readers between the ages of 5 and 10, and the Periodicals Hall will be open between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m.
The Multimedia Library, however, will remain closed.
Built on an area of 125,000 square meters inside the Presidential Complex, the library can host 5,000 visitors. It features 4 million printed books, over 120 million electronic editions and 550,000 e-books in 134 different languages.
It also houses numerous rare collections and 120 million articles and reports.
The library's contemporary design is inspired by Seljuk and Ottoman-era architecture.
