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       The rare books, manuscripts and national literature department was created by the order of the first president of the Kazakh SSR Academy of Sciences Кanysh Imantayevich Satpayev from January, 22, 1959 with the purpose of gathering and storage of the national heritage, having a historical value. The department is a separate structural division of the «Gylym ordasy» RSE Central Scientific Library, Science Committee, MES of RK which accumulates on a scientific basis historical, scientific and rare literature – manuscripts, rare editions of books and funds from the national literature.

The department consists of 2 sectors:

ﾷ         Sector of rare books and manuscripts research

ﾷ         Sector to work with fund and service of readers

This fund is a depository of the largest rare documents in Kazakhstan. For today the fund consists of 350 thousand units of editions.

General chronology of rare books and manuscripts: editions of XII, XVI-ХХ centuries (till 1940).

The basic direction of work of a department

Scientific drawing up and storage of funds of manuscripts, rare books and  national literature. Demonstration and propagation of funds, carrying out of research works in writing history, rare books by means of attraction of scientists. The organization of exhibitions of rare books, excursions, publications in mass-media, other actions. The edition of catalogues and indexes of manuscripts and rare books. Analytical work on filling rare funds of manuscripts and the national literature. Rendering library-bibliographic services to readers. An establishment of connections with research establishments, the centers of republic and foreign countries. The organization of scientific conferences and meetings in all directions of scientific activity of the department and participation in them. The organization of scientific expeditions for selection of rare editions and materials. Providing the readers with operative and qualitative service. Rendering the paid services according to a price of library.

Funds of the department:

• Fund of manuscripts
• Fund of rare books
• Fund of the literature in oriental languages
• Fund of dissertations
• Fund of author's abstracts
• Fund of the literature in languages of CIS peoples  
• Fund of the literature in national language
• Fund «Каzakhstanica»
• Fund of magazines in the Kazakh language
• Fund of microfilms
• Fund of photocopies

In the reading room there are exposed books of the last years which are  special demanded among readers. The fund of open access consists of 3 thousand editions. Every week exhibitions of new receipts are held.

Readers have an opportunity to work with electronic versions of rare books and manuscripts, on listing microfilms, x-copying, scanning of materials, drawing up of thematic information and the night subscription (according the prices) and many other things.