Eastern Mediterranean University (EMU), Özay Oral Library Director Osman Soykan released a statement on the 62nd Library Week. The statement reads as follows:
“The 62nd Library Week is being celebrated this year, between the 30th of March and 5th of April 2026, in Türkiye and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. The “Library Week” is observed in the week commencing with the last Monday of March every year, with various different events. The celebration of the week as “Library Week” was officially recognized by the Ministries of National Education in Türkiye in 1964 and in our country in 1996. The aim of this week is to emphasize the value of books and reading and, to raise awareness about the importance of libraries for societies.
Information is an irreplaceable value of our era. Societies that place importance on knowledge, adhere to scientific principles, and embrace science as their compass are consistently progressing in the realms of science and technology. This progress has a beneficial impact on both the quality of intellectual life and economic well-being.
Today, the university libraries, especially with the utilization of internet technology, have evolved beyond being mere repositories of information to also serve as information portals that connect researchers with new sources of information whether within the close environment or far beyond. University libraries are foused more on facilitating users’ access to information rather than physically possessing it, emphasizing knowledge organization. Consequently, interlibrary collaboration and document sharing play significant importance. This new library policy grants academics and researchers unrestricted access to information, transcending spatial constraints. The new mission of the 21st century university library is to guide users in accessing information in all formats without limitations.
As it is an important week for all libraries, the 62nd Library Week also holds a special place for EMU Özay Oral Library. Our library is one of the prominent libraries, offering extensive printed and electronic information services with the widest academic collections in our region.
With its approximately 170,000 hard copy books, 10,000s of electronic journal memberships and nearly 400,000 full text e-book collections, our library serves in the center of the Eastern Mediterranean University, a prominent higher education institution in both our region as well as all around the world, reach its educational goals.
Thanks to our library’s memberships in online databases, along with thousands of electronic journals and books, online copies of conference papers, thesis, reports, evaluation records, statistical data, study journals, standards, bibliographic records and similar materials can be accessed by our researchers. With its efficient information services and extensive collections, our library remains as an indispensable source supporting our university’s contemporary, innovative, progressive and student-oriented educational approach.
Alongside with our University’s academic personnel members and students, our library opens its doors to world researchers and members of the society. In this context, we invite and encourage our community to read books and benefit from the services offered by our library.
On this occasion, I extend my best wishes to all librarians and library enthusiasts.”
