ANKOSLink 2025 International Conference: “Library 5.0 – Human Re-Centered Digital Transformation” Held in the Capital
November 8, 2025
The ANKOSLink 2025 International Conference, hosted by the Presidential Nation’s Library between November 4–6, 2025, brought together the worlds of knowledge, culture, and academia under the theme “Library 5.0: Human Re-Centered Digital Transformation.”
At the event, Prof. Dr. Erol ÖZVAR, President of the Council of Higher Education (YÖK), delivered the opening speech, while President Recep Tayyip ERDOĞAN and Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri ERSOY addressed the participants during the closing session.
YÖK President Prof. Dr. Erol ÖZVAR: “Libraries are centers where knowledge is processed and interpreted.”
In his opening remarks, Prof. Dr. Erol ÖZVAR stated that in the digital age, libraries have evolved from being mere repositories of information to dynamic centers where knowledge is processed, interpreted, and given meaning.
He noted, “The concept of Library 5.0 redefines the relationship between people and information. It is no longer merely about digitalization, but about uniting the digital with human values — combining trust and ethical responsibility in access to knowledge.”
Emphasizing the pivotal role of libraries in the digital transformation of the Turkish higher education system, ÖZVAR underlined that university libraries must be at the heart of open science policies and evidence-based decision-making processes.
He added, “Our libraries are indispensable institutions for the production, dissemination, and sustainable accessibility of knowledge. This understanding constitutes a cornerstone of Türkiye’s vision for knowledge-based development.”
President Recep Tayyip ERDOĞAN: “We have a 1,300-year-old tradition in librarianship.”
In his closing address, President Recep Tayyip ERDOĞAN emphasized that Türkiye possesses a deep-rooted civilizational heritage founded upon knowledge and the written word.
“As members of a faith whose very first command is ‘Read,’ we stand upon a 1,300-year-old tradition of librarianship,” he said, highlighting the continuity of this legacy from the Umayyads to the Ottomans, and from there to the Republic.
Referring to the historical centrality of knowledge and scholars, President ERDOĞAN stated:
“From the Umayyads to the Abbasids, from the Seljuks to the Ottoman Empire, in every civilization we built, the book and the scholar held a central place. Institutions such as Bayt al-Hikma in Damascus, the Nizamiye Madrasah in Baghdad, and the Karatay and Gök Madrasahs in Anatolia spread knowledge and wisdom not only to their own eras but to the entire world.”
He continued, “Whenever we have valued science, whenever we have embraced books and knowledge wholeheartedly, we have achieved our greatest accomplishments that left their mark on world history.”
Touching upon the challenges of the past, he remarked, “Generations were once distanced from their roots and history; yet, we have succeeded in reconnecting with our heritage.”
President ERDOĞAN also noted that librarianship in Türkiye is experiencing a strong revival, stating:
“Our country has become one that preserves, develops, and adapts its libraries to the demands of the digital age. Together with our Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Ministry of National Education, universities, and local administrations, we continue to strengthen this legacy.”
At the conclusion of his speech, the President congratulated ANKOS and the staff of the Presidential Nation’s Library for organizing the conference, wishing that the event would yield beneficial outcomes for Türkiye and the library community.
Following the speeches, ANKOS President İsmail ÇETİNKAYA and Ayhan TUĞLU, Director of Presidential Libraries, presented President ERDOĞAN with a historic document — the imperial decree (berat) dated March 11, 1845, issued by Sultan Abdülmecid, appointing Hafız İsmail as the custodian (hafız-ı kütüp) of the Ebu Eyyub al-Ansari Mosque Library.
Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri ERSOY: “We are building a Türkiye empowered by knowledge through productive and living libraries.”
In his address during the closing program, Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri ERSOY emphasized that access to knowledge, digital transformation, and human re-centered service principles are integrated within the Library 5.0 vision.
He stated, “Through the sharing, production, and sustainable management of knowledge, we are transforming our libraries into meeting points of ideas and innovation. We are building a Türkiye empowered by knowledge through productive and living libraries.”
Hosted by the Presidential Nation’s Library, the ANKOSLink 2025 International Conference concluded after three days of sessions on artificial intelligence, digital transformation, information management, and human re-centered services, serving as a comprehensive forum shaping the future of libraries.
