Gazi Husrev-bey's library

Abstract

With its fund of books and documents Gazi Husrev-beys library has been active educationally and culturally for 450 years, not only in Sarajevo and B&H but far beyond them.
It was founded as a medresa library (943 H = 1537 A. D.). It developed its activity with readers out of school even in the XVII century and became an independent public vakuf library. In its developement the library passed through two phases. The first one is oriental-islamic and the second the post Ottoman phase (from 1873.) characterized by the influence of the western culture and writing at the expense of oriental-islamic.
The basic fund of this library was in the past centuries damaged by wars, fire and carelessness, but it was supplemented by other collections of other vakufs or private collections of the books and transcripts in B&H.

The fund of Gazi Husrev-beys library consists of:
I Transcripts and documents
1. 7.500 Oriental-islamic transcript codexes with 15.000 works
2. Documents 3.910
3. Vakufnamas in original and transcript 1.400
4. Sidžils of Sheriat Court in Sarajevo (XVI till XIX c. 86)
5. Levhas & Epitaphs 50
6. Oriental printed books 11.500 works
7. Oriental periodicals (journals and papers) 60 unites

II
European fund
1. Printed books (home and foreign) 21.640
2. Periodicals (home and foreign) 1.000 unites
The present day activity of the library is directed to:
1. Study of existed transcripts and documents, as well as collecting of oriental-islamic transcripts in B&H.
2. Permanent contatcts with readers, visitors and researchers.
The library issues catalogues, anniversaries and special editions from the cultural heritage of Moslem of B&H.
The library has difficulties such as: Schortage of adequate rooms, technical devices for the microfilming of transcripts and their protection, and providing for the needs of the staff.