First year of Hızlan library celebrated

ANTALYA - Doğan News Agency

Doğan Hızlan speaks at the event organized by the Antalya Municipality Feb. 14 to celebrate the first anniversary of the Doğan Hızlan Library in the city.

The Antalya Municipality organized events Feb. 14 to celebrate the first anniversary of Doğan Hızlan Library. Daily Hürriyet publishing consultant Doğan Hızlan attended a conference on the importance of libraries in his life where he said he’d like Turkey not to censor books anymore and instead allow all books to be placed on library shelves. 

Hızlan spoke at “The importance of the library,” conference organized at the Antalya Conference Center.

Because information is now available on the Internet the usage of libraries has decreased quite a bit, Hızlan said. However, in order to be sure the information one receives is correct, people still need libraries and written resources.

The largest problem facing Turkish libraries is how hard it is to find some of books in libraries, according to Hızlan. “Not every book is found at libraries.” The government does not collect book and send them to libraries, this means libraries depend on collectors and citizens.”

Young people in Turkey are fans of fantastic literature, according to Hızlan. Reading rates in Turkey are not bad, according to Hızlan. Detective novels have increased in popularity among readers, he added. Young people love fantastic examples of fantasy in literature, but don’t appear to have enough time to read the classic examples of literature, Hızlan said. 

In most families children are only allowed to read their textbooks and nothing more, said Hizlan. “Some of the books that are needed to be read [by society] are already banned, but there should not be any books banned,” Hızlan said, adding that his house is full of books because of the Turkey’s growing list of banned books. 

After his speech Hızlan cut a cake made in celebration of the library’s one year anniversary. Because his books are there at the library his mind and soul are in Antalya, Hızlan said while thanking everyone who spent time building the library.