National Library of Azerbaijan

The Mirza Fatali Akhundov National Library of Azerbaijan (Azerbaijani: Mirzə Fətəli Axundov adına Azərbaycan Milli Kitabxanası) is the national library of Azerbaijan, located in Baku and founded in 1922. It is named after Mirza Fatali Akhundov, an Azerbaijani dramatist and philosopher.  

The library was founded by the government of the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic in 1922. The library moved to its current location on May 23, 1923. The building was designed by Azerbaijani architect Mikayil Huseynov. Its facades has statues of various writers and poets: Nizami Ganjavi, Mahsati, Uzeyir Hajibeyov, Shota Rustaveli, Alexander Pushkin and several others. It was first known as the "General Library and State Book Storage of Azerbaijan". On July 11, 1939, the library got its present name.

The library includes 25 sections and 26 sectors. The library has approximately 4,513,000 publishing materials from books, journals, newspapers, magazines, sound and music recordings, patents, databases, maps, stamps, prints, drawings and manuscripts, including copies of all the newspapers published during the Soviet period.

The library, the only one of its kind in the country, has microfilm and photos of newspapers published in Azerbaijan before the Bolshevik Revolution.

The National Library of Azerbaijan is also the official and central repository of the country. It receives four copies of every new book and two copies of every magazine and newspaper published in Azerbaijan.Meet Me at the Akhundov by Leyla Gafurova. Azerbaijan International Magazine. #8.2. Summer 2000  

References

Other websites

UN System Depository Libraries profile  

Azerbaijan
Category:Archives in Azerbaijan
Category:Buildings and structures in Baku
Category:Education in Azerbaijan
Category:1920s establishments in Azerbaijan
Category:1922 establishments in the Soviet Union