Centennial Commemoration of Ahar Public Library Establishment

According to a reporter from the Iran Book News Agency (IBNA) in Tabriz, the Secretary-General of the Public Libraries Institution of the country said at this ceremony: The 100-year history of library establishment in Ahar County indicates the antiquity of culture and thought in this region of our Islamic homeland.

Azadeh Nazar Boland called the Sheikh Shahab al-Din Ahari Library a symbol of the efforts of thinkers and luminaries of this county in the past and added: Despite the limited access of people at that time to books and information resources, paving the way for public access to knowledge is a very valuable and commendable endeavor.

Explaining the factors behind the establishment of Sheikh Shahab Ahar Library 100 years ago, he stated: The thought and dedication of the dignitaries of this land, along with the perseverance and interest of the book-loving people of this region, are two fundamental factors that have kept the light of knowledge and books burning for a century.

Nazar Boland, referring to the existence of two public libraries in this county, emphasized the establishment of a third library and added: Our duty is not only to commemorate the scientific and cultural past, but also to transform new generations of libraries into dynamic cultural centers to serve the science, culture, and people of the country.

The Imam of Ahar also regarded the 100-year history of Ahar Public Library as an honor for the culture and literature of this county and said: The Sheikh Shahab al-Din Ahari Public Library is the legacy of past scientific and cultural figures, and today we must strive more in preserving and developing the cultural and literary aspects of this region.

Hojjat al-Islam Jalil Jalili stated: Given the cultural and literary background of this county, the current libraries are not sufficient to accommodate students, university students, and those interested in books and reading. It is expected that provincial and county officials will take fundamental steps in establishing a third library.

The Imam of Ahar added: Given the increasing activities of youth and adolescents in virtual spaces, it is necessary to make more efforts to promote the culture of books and reading among this young generation of society.

Parvin Eshraghi, the Director-General of Social Affairs of the East Azerbaijan Governorate, also stated at the ceremony: The 100-year history of Ahar Library indicates the richness of book and reading culture in this county in the past.

She considered comprehensive development and progress to be dependent on cultural development and said: If there is no culture, no development and progress will occur in society, and all advancements and economic, social, political systems, etc., require cultural improvement.

Beitollah Abdollahi, representative of the people of Ahar and Haris in the Islamic Consultative Assembly, also thanked the organizers of the national conference on the 100th anniversary of the establishment of Ahar Public Library at this ceremony and said: The development of cultural infrastructure is the basis for balanced development in the country.

Referring to the economic problems of the country, he said: Despite having minimal resources, Iran, as a powerful country in the region, can achieve great successes, and the prerequisite for achieving this success is diligent work and effort.

Abdollahi further mentioned the serious follow-up on the establishment of the third library in Ahar County and added: Despite economic problems and budget constraints, we will seriously pursue the construction of this library until its completion.

It is noteworthy that the first public library in Ahar, titled the National Library and Reading Room, as an annex to Hemmat School, was established by a group of scientific figures in 1924, and this library was named after Sheikh Shahab al-Din Ahari in 1967.

At the end of the ceremony, the foundation stone for the construction of the third public library in Ahar County was also laid.