The foundation of the Zhalagash district centralized library system was laid in 1939, simultaneously with the formation of the district. Archive documents contain information that in 1946 the library manager was Bazarkul Sarsenbayeva, and in 1948 Andakulova. In 1950, the book collection in the district libraries amounted to 20 thousand copies. The library was headed by Ormakhanova Damesh.
In 1979, the district libraries were reorganized into the “Centralized Library System”. The staffing increased, and the following departments were opened.
– Department of Collection and Addition of Books
– Methodological and Bibliographic Department
– Readers’ Department
In 1953-1975, the number of libraries reached 31, and the book collection was 120 thousand copies, while in 1975-1990 the number of libraries reached 33, and the book collection was 220 thousand copies.
Since the creation of the centralized library system, Isabekova Roza, Koishygulova Almagul, Tolegenkyzy Bayan have worked as directors of the library system. Since 2012, this area has been headed by Mendybayeva Ulmeken.
In the second half of the 1990s, libraries in remote settlements were reduced under the optimization policy. Thus, in 1997, 18 libraries remained in the district.
Today, the library system has a book fund of 374,221 books, the number of readers is 18,840.
Modern libraries should be accessible to almost all users, regardless of the distance and location of the requested information. Mobile technologies are a new service, a professional qualification, and a future for libraries. Nowadays, people can access the Internet using mobile phones and computers and access the necessary information. In this regard, on July 12, 2016, the “Mobile Library” was opened in the district library.
In order to improve rural libraries, the Bukharbay rural library in 2013, the Tan rural library in 2014, the Madeniet and Akkum rural libraries in 2016, the Enbek, Eset Batyr rural libraries in 2017, and the Zhurgenov, Zhanadariya, and Shamenov rural libraries in December 2018 were opened as “Model rural libraries”.
The opening of Coworking centers in libraries is good news for readers. That is, they become a place of rest. The opening of coworking centers is being undertaken in order to base the level of library service on European experience. In this regard, in 2018, a COWORKING center was opened in the library in the district center, and this year the opening ceremony of the COWORKING center was held near the Madeniet, Akkum, Tan, Eset Batyr, Enbek rural libraries.
Street libraries have been operating in European countries for several years. Any citizen can take a book they like from there. A reader’s card is not required for this. A similar project was launched in Zhalagash district in 2018, and the “Street Library” was opened. The bookshelf was placed in the courtyard of the district’s “Public Service Center” and the district clinic. You can take your favorite book. Working hours are unlimited – without lunch breaks, without holidays.
The system of district centralized libraries serves as an information center that provides readers with prompt access to comprehensive information and knowledge. The invaluable rich fund of libraries has become the source of many works and makes a significant contribution to the spiritual perfection of our independent state.
In accordance with the “Digital Kazakhstan” project, one of the priority areas of the “Direction to the Future: Spiritual Renewal” program, the district library system is carrying out a number of works to form and improve information systems and ensure citizens’ access to relevant information. In particular, the library works by entering the bibliographic characteristics of books into the system using the “Catalogizer” module of the RABIS program and entering literature into an electronic catalog.
Modern libraries should be accessible to almost all users, regardless of distance and location of the requested information, fulfilling requests for information and documents. Mobile technologies are a new service, a practical qualification, and a future for libraries. Nowadays, people can access the Internet using mobile phones and computers and access the necessary information. In this regard, the opening of the “Mobile Library” was held in the district library on July 12, 2016.
Model libraries
1. Bukarbay rural library was designated as a model library in 2013.
2. Tan rural library was opened as a model library in 2014.
3. Akkum and Madeniet rural libraries were opened as model libraries in 2016.
4. Enbek and Eset Batyr rural libraries were opened as model libraries in 2017.
5. Eset Batyr and Bukharbay Batyr rural libraries were opened as mobile multimedia libraries.
6. In 2018, Zhanadariya, Shamenov, Zhurgenov rural libraries were opened as model libraries.
Online centers
The Culture and Akkum rural libraries were opened as online central libraries in March-April 2015.
Currently, work is also underway to provide readers with electronic access to books, to create electronic copies of books to preserve valuable rare books and local history documents, to ensure their remote use, and to transfer publications from local publishers to digital format, to provide virtual reference, to access the library website and read literature and events in the fund remotely.
In addition, work is underway to transfer valuable books and local history literature that are in high demand to electronic format in accordance with modern requirements, and books are being transferred to digital format.
The district library has established the possibility of free use of Internet services through the Megaline system for readers and has opened its own website since 2014 to provide readers with virtual reference services. The site contains pages on the history of the library, “Local History”, the message of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the people of Kazakhstan, information on cultural events held in the library, and a list of new books. The page of the President’s program “Orientation to the Future: Spiritual Renewal” has been opened. The website is an information resource containing various topical materials, systematized according to the meaning, communicating with users and updating news.
With a special automated library program, ensuring accessibility on demand and providing high-quality library and information services to rural residents. In order to introduce national and spiritual values, individuals, their way of life, widely promote them to the younger generation, and bring the library and the reader closer, and the reader and famous people closer, since January 2018, the “Digital Kazakhstan – a new impetus for library development” project and the “Native Land that Led to Civilization” project have been operating within the framework of the “Spiritual Treasure” sub-program.
At the republican festival “Spiritual Treasure – 2022”, the Akkum rural library won the nomination “Best rural library”, while the Madeniet rural library participated in the republican online competition “Jana kobubra – 2022” and was awarded the title of the best library of the Republic of Kazakhstan in the nomination “Modern library”. The head of the readers’ department, Yeshimova Zhansulu Gabitovna, was awarded 2nd place in the regional competition “Librarian of the Year – 2022”, organized by the regional universal scientific library named after Abdilda Tazhibayev.