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Laman Ismayilova

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The Azerbaijan National Library has opened its traditional book exhibition titled "Writer and Publicist Shamo Arif – 90" for visitors, AzerNEWS reports.

The exhibition features books about Shamo Arif's life and literary career, as well as his novels, novellas, short stories, and Azerbaijani-language publications for which he served as compiler and editor.

Shamo Arif began his literary career in 1957 with the publication of his short story "Qoşa Çinar" (Twin Plane Trees) in the magazine Azerbaijan Woman.

In 1964, he published the novella "Göz Dağı" and the novel "Anamın Yuxusuna Girməsi" (Entering My Mother's Dream). He became a member of the Azerbaijan Writers' Union in 1964 and was awarded the Golden Pen Prize.

His final novel is titled "Qınamayın Məni" (Don't Blame Me).

In addition to his fiction, Shamo Arif published numerous journalistic and scholarly articles and compiled a memoir collection entitled "Dədə Süleyman" (Grandfather Suleyman).

With over 5 million books, manuscripts, and maps, the Azerbaijan National Library is considered one of the largest libraries in the Caucasus region. Since 1939, the library has borne the name of the eminent playwright Mirza Fatali Akhundov.

The library has an extensive collection of literature in Azerbaijani, Russian, English, and other languages. It has collected and preserved national editions, works of Azerbaijani and foreign authors about Azerbaijan published abroad.

The National Leader, Heydar Aliyev, visited the National Library four times in 1995-1997 and donated nearly 300 books from his personal library.

In 2004, the Mirza Fatali Akhundov Library was granted the status of a national library by the decision of Azerbaijan's Cabinet of Ministers.

The building of the library is no less impressive. The library's faсade is decorated with the statues of eminent poets and writers like Nizami Ganjavi, Mahsati Ganjavi, Uzeyir Hajibayli, Shota Rustaveli, Alexander Pushkin and many others.

The scope of the library's activities is constantly expanding. In 2005, on the basis of legal copies received from publishing houses and printing companies, the library published the yearbook "Books of Azerbaijan" for 1990, 1991, 2000, and 2001.

Over the past years, the National Library has signed a memorandum on bilateral mutual cooperation with about 80 libraries.

In 2021, the Culture Ministry and Mirza Fatali Akhundov Library launched a joint campaign, "Let's go to Garabagh with a book", to restore libraries in the Garabagh region.

A large number of books were donated to the Garabagh Book Fund by a number of international organizations working in the field of culture, Turkic-speaking countries, famous foreign and local authors, publishers, and printing houses.