Scientific Library

The Scientific Library of the L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University was founded in 1962.

L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University was founded in May 23, 1996, at the initiative of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan N.A. Nazarbayev, on the basis of joining Tselinograd Civil Engineering Institute and Akmola Pedagogical institute.   

“Otyrar Kitapkhanasy” was established in 2001 according to the Decree of the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan № 924 July 6.  The aim of the National Library is to preserve the written spiritual and historical heritage of the country and expand the scientific database of the library.

During this time, the library has turned from a small provincial university library into a large library with a huge collection of scientific and educational literature. Opening the scientific center in the library allowed us to replenish with unique manuscripts and rare books collected in the framework of implementing the State program “Ata Mura”.

These years the library has developed in accordance with the tasks of the time.

In 2009 “Otyrar Kitapkhanasy” was separated from the scientific library (the Order of the Rector №456, April 27).

The library became an independent structural unit of the university and continues its development.  

The mission of the library is to provide materials for educational and research processes, and to disseminate knowledge for spiritual and intellectual communication.

The main tasks of the scientific library:

• integrate into the educational and research activities of the university;
• strengthen the scientific component of the fund;
• improve the technological infrastructure;
• create a comfortable space and favorable working environment for working with information;
• develop the professional competence of the library staff.

Today Library has:

• a complex of subscriptions, reading rooms, functional and specialized departments in two buildings on the university campus;
• 8 structural subdivisions providing information and library service;
• electronic service system to search and order literature remotely;
• electronic form of a reader, automated process to lend literature;
• open access reading rooms to the collection of educational, scientific, and reference sources;
• electronic rooms with access to domestic and foreign databases;
• unlimited access to the Internet;
• possibility of remote library service;
• institutional repository;
• specially equipped places for students with special educational needs;
• comfortable environment for individual and group work;
• qualified experts.

The library actively applies the latest new technologies.  

The library has an automated system based on the RFID-technologies.

Automated Integrated Library System (AILS) on the basis of “Megapro” predetermined the development of electronic services.

The most requested electronic services:

• digital catalog;
• media library (CD и DVD discs;
• full-text electronic library of scientific works of ENU scholars;
• access to subscript electronic educational and scientific databases;
• Integrated search through a single window system to electronic resources by EBSCO Discovery Service;
• call center 24/7;
• information resource center “American Corner and Maker Space Astana”;
• webinars, workshops, training, master-classes to improve information literacy;
• tutorials to support the research activities of teachers, undergraduates and doctoral students;
• cultural and educational programs (literary evenings, poetic meetings with authors, book presentations, traditional and virtual exhibitions, “Book week”);
• educational events “Department Day”, “Faculty Day”, “Question to Librarian” »;
• career development courses for the library staff.

Providing conditions for students with special educational needs is one of the key directions of the library. The inclusive information and resource center was opened in October 2019. This center holds various motivational and educational activities and provides information support in the learning process.

Electronic resources are an integral part of the scientific and educational process.

The scientific Library successfully cooperates with domestic and foreign publishers, and aggregators of the world’s electronic resources such as EBSCO, Oxford University Press, IEEE Explorer, Springer, Scopus, Science Direct, Web of Science, and others.

Subscribing to Kazakhstani and Russian electronic library systems allows readers to use the latest educational resources and programs. 

The driver of library development is the Research Support Service. Its responsibility:  

• creation of the content of educational and scientific databases and providing an access to them;
• advising readers on the selection of sources for the publication of the results of scientific experiments;
• increasing the information literacy of the university scientists;
• assistance in increasing the h-index of scientists as a result of creating, editing profiles, and collecting their publications;
• Development of institutional repository.

Research and educational activities play a significant role in the library’s work.

The International Conference “Modern world trends in the development of the university library” has been held since 2011. Specialists from different parts of Kazakhstan, CIS, and foreign countries are interested in this conference.

The scientific library takes a special place in the educational and information environment of the university. The library strives to become not only the owner of the documents on the university's profile, but also a real information center that provides its users with the full range of necessary information to support the study, creating comfortable conditions for searching and getting knowledge, and conduct research work.