This roundtable will bring together specialists from libraries, archives, museums, and other cultural institutions to share their experiences, discuss common challenges, and explore effective approaches to preserving book and documentary heritage. It will also provide an opportunity to strengthen professional connections, exchange knowledge, and identify new opportunities for collaboration and joint initiatives in this important field.
- -1-Current preservation challengesDiscuss current challenges in preserving book and documentary collections.
- -2-Professional experience and technologiesExchange professional experience in conservation, restoration, and the application of modern technologies for preserving rare, valuable, and historically significant publications.
- -3-Prospects for cooperationExplore opportunities for collaboration among libraries, archives, museums, and conservation professionals to develop joint initiatives and improve practices in book heritage preservation.
- 09.30 — 10.00
Registration
- 10.00 — 10.15
Opening Remarks
- 10.15 — 10.30
Preservation of Book Heritage: AUCA Initiatives and Partnerships
Jyldyz Bekbalaeva — Library Director, AUCA
- 10.30 — 10.50
Title TBC
Akram Habibulla — Associate Librarian, Middle Eastern, Islamic, and Central Eurasian Studies, Indiana University Bloomington, USA
- 10.50 — 11.10
“Preventive Conservation in Libraries: Practical Measures for the Preservation of Books and Manuscripts”
Nil Baydar — Senior Manuscript Specialist, Manuscripts Institution of Türkiye
- 11.10 — 11.20
“Building Conservation Capacity: Preventive Conservation Training for Libraries and Heritage Collections”
Nikolas Sarris — National Library of Greece / STERNA Heritage
- 11.20 — 11.50
“Preservation of Cultural Heritage: Conservation and Restoration of Library Collections”
Aida Shomanova — Head of Conservation, Restoration and Binding Service, National Library of the Republic of Kazakhstan
- 11.50 — 12.10
“Manas, Manuscripts, and Modern History: An Outside view of Manuscript Collections in Kyrgyzstan”
James Plumtree — Independent Scholar, UK
- 12.10 — 12.30
“Preservation of Kazakhstan’s Book Heritage: The Experience of the State Enterprise “Gylym Ordasy” and the Implementation of Comprehensive Research Projects”
Dinmukhamed Abdrakhanov — Scientific Secretary, State Enterprise “Gylym Ordasy,” Science Committee of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan
- 12.30 — 12.50
“Preservation of Manuscript Collections: Current Status, Challenges, and Perspectives”
Asel Isaeva — Head of the Manuscript Collection, Chyngyz Aitmatov Institute of Language and Literature, National Academy of Sciences of the Kyrgyz Republic
- 12.50 — 13.10
“Book Heritage: Modern Technologies for the Preservation, Protection, and Management of Library Collections”
Tamila Kadjieva — Director of the Chuy Regional Library
- 13.10 — 13.30
Concluding Discussion and Resolution
14:15 — 17:00 · AUCA Makerspace Building
Workshop: “Restoration of Library Collections”
A hands-on session for in-person participants: assessing the condition of the book block, conservation, and binding repair.
- Diagnosing and documenting damage to the book block
- Cleaning, consolidation and basic conservation
- Binding restoration and repair
Participation and Registration
Online participation requires registration via the link below. After registering, you will receive a confirmation and access to the round table livestream.
- DATE
- November 20, 2026
- TIME
- 09:30 — 17:00 (UTC+6)
- VENUE
- American University of Central Asia, Bishkek
- FORMAT
- In-person and online, in Russian and English
library@auca.kg
Round Table “Preservation of Book Heritage” 2026.
All rights reserved.