Konya has a rich history of libraries, like other cultural
sources. The first library was opened by Emir Şemsettin Altınapa in the İplikçi
Madrasah during the Seljuk Turks period. Later on, many libraries were
established in the Nizamiye Hankâh, Sadreddin-i Konevî Madrasah, and Atabekiye
Madrasah area by Kutlu Melek Hatun. During the Ottoman Empire, the Mevlâna Dervish
Lodge Library, which still serves today, and the Yusuf Agha Libraries,
established in 1795, were founded.
The public library was first established as the
"National Library" in 1910 by Konya Governor Muammer Bey, in a
building within the former Hürriyet School. In 1919, one officer and one clerk
positions were provided by the Special Administration, and the library served
under the Special Administration for many years.
The library was subsequently moved to Maarif houses, a
building near the Serafettin Mosque, and later to the Hacı Hasan Mosque during
the time of Governor Izzet Bey. The library remained at the Hacı Hasan Mosque
for many years, completing its establishment preparations there. In 1947, it
started operating under the name "Konya Public Library" under the
Libraries General Directorate of the Ministry of National Education. In 1950,
it was moved to a floor of the Halkevi building on Alâeddin Hill, which has
since been demolished, and in 1955, it was opened with the Halkevi Library in
the Monument Area. This building is still used as the State Theatre. In 1978,
it was moved to the building in the Mevlâna field, which was built as the
Mevlana Research Institute.
On April 17, 2009, a protocol was signed between the
Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the Konya Metropolitan Municipality, and
the City Public Library building in the Mevlâna area was transferred to the
Konya Metropolitan Municipality, with the decision to construct a new library
building in the Culture Park by the Konya Metropolitan Municipality and to
transfer the existing and new library buildings to each other. The foundation
of the building was laid on March 2, 2010, and the construction of the building
was completed in a short period of one year. The library moved to this new
building on November 1, 2011, and started serving readers on November 28, 2011.
The The City Public Library building consists of four floors
and a terrace floor, including the basement. The archive, binding workshop,
water tank, machine room, shelter, and generator are located in the basement.
On the ground floor, there is an Internet room, a Visual and Audio Material Use
Room, a Preschool and Children's Department, a Youth Department, a Loan Unit,
and a Conference Room. The first floor has Reading Room A, Reading Room B,
Periodical Section, and Technical Services Unit. The second floor has a Study
Room and group work rooms (4 rooms, each 16 m2), Konya Special Collection Library,
Dining Hall, and Management Unit. The terrace floor includes two indoor/outdoor
areas for activities.