During the holy month of Ramadan, Türkiye’s Presidential Library in the capital Ankara attracts significant attention from those looking to study and benefit from its resources, even during the pre-dawn meal.

Visitors to the library, which is open 24/7, can access over 5 million printed works as well as rich electronic resources by presenting their ID cards.

The library, which also sees a high number of visitors during the night hours, offers free cake, tea, coffee and water to those studying.

Muhammed Çağrı Töremişoğlu, a student at Ankara University's Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, told Anadolu Agency (AA) that the library's facilities are excellent.

Töremişoğlu noted that in addition to the study environment, there are also snacks available, saying: "The library here has a wide range of study resources and the study environment is specially designed for youth. The internet is strong, and there are very good study areas. It appeals a lot to university students."

Töremişoğlu mentioned that they obtain the opportunity to study in private rooms by making appointments with friends and expressed that studying at night is more comfortable.

Preparing for the Public Personnel Selection Exam (KPSS), Child Development Department graduate Naciye Elif Taş stated that she chose the library because it is reliable, clean and the staff are polite.

Productive environment

Taş, who mentioned that it is possible to study in the library while fasting, expressed that there are all kinds of facilities available.

Melih Arslan, a high school senior preparing for the Higher Education Institutions Exam (YKS), stated that there is very little time left until the exam and said: "I wanted to spend my last months here. I had come here before to hang out. It happened for the first time today. I came, I studied. It's quite nice. I plan to study here because it is a productive environment for studying."

The library, which is the biggest in the country, was inaugurated in February 2020.

The design of the library itself harbors architectural influences from the Seljuk and Ottoman eras, albeit with a contemporary twist, and is open 24/7.

In addition to printed books, 68 databases provide access to online content, including 550,000 e-books, 6.5 million electronic theses and 120 million articles and reports belonging to 60,000 e-magazines.

The library is distinguished by a section dedicated to young readers, called the Nasreddin Hodja Children's Library, for those between the ages of 5-10. Meanwhile, the site also features a youth library and audio and video sections for users between the ages of 10-15.

Nasreddin Hodja is a legendary figure who is said to have lived in the Middle Ages, primarily in the regions of Anatolia and the Balkans. He is known for his wit, humor and wisdom, often expressed through short, humorous stories.

The Nasreddin Hodja Children's Library has a collection of 25,000 books. The library also features fairytale listening activities and works on traditional Turkish art, as well as a sound and video hall designed specifically for listening to or watching audio and visual materials as a group or individually.

The Presidential Library has a rare works and research section, a map room and periodical archive, a Seljuk museum and a wealth of exhibition space, as well as the Anatolia and Divan hall, bookbindery, book hospital, welcome room and conference space with a capacity to host around 500 people.

The library also features technology and vocational training classes, private group study and movie screening areas, dining halls, seminar halls, mosque and study and rest areas for staff.