Librarian and researcher of literature
(b. 12 January 1926, Fatih / İstanbul - d. 25 September 2013, Ankara). Her full name is Fatma Müjgan Cunbur.
She used the pen names Müjde Nasiboğlu and Salim Şehidoğlu in some of her
works. She attended primary school at Dumlupınar and İnönü primary schools in
Ankara and then attended the Ankara High School for Girls (1944). She graduated
from Ankara University, Faculty of Language, History and Geography, Department
of Turkish Language and Literature in 1948. She received her doctorate degree
with her thesis titled “Gülşehri ve Mantıku’t Tayr” (Gülşehrî and the
Language of Birds, 1952).
Her first office was to classify the
manuscripts at the library of the Faculty of Language, History and Geography.
She was appointed as a librarian to the National Library in 1954. She was
appointed as the chief of the Department of Manuscripts and Rare Books which
was to be founded and at the same time as a expert of micro-films to improve
the Micro-film Archive (1957–59). Between 1959 and 1960, she was the assistant
manager of the National Library. Meanwhile, she was given a title of director
to administer the library. After the return of the founder of National Library,
Adnan Ötüken, from his duty as a cultural attaché in Germany, she resigned from
her office as a director. She resumed her former duty as an expert (1961-
1965).
After Adnan Ötüken
became the undersecretary of the Ministry of Culture, she was appointed as the
director of National Library. As the administration of the National Library was
become a general directorate, her title was changed to general director of the
National Library (1965). She made efforts to provide a better building for the
National Library by assuring a place and preparing a project and initiating the
construction process. The foundation of the building was laid in 1973. She was
appointed as an advisor to the Ministry of Culture in 1978. She was given the
responsibility of the manuscripts in Anatolia within the “Project of Preparing
Catalogues of Manuscripts”. She worked as the head of the team at the libraries
of Amasya and Antalya to prepare the catalogues of manuscripts.
In order to assure the completion of
the building of the National Library, she was appointed as the assistant
director of the National Library as the advisor of the Ministry of Culture in
1980. The construction of the library was complete in 1982 and the library was
moved to the new building in 1983. Her title was changed in 1984 to chairwoman
of the National Library. Meanwhile, the first computer network was built in the
library. She retired in 1986 on her own request. She gave courses as a lecturer
at Ankara University, Faculty of Language, History and Geography, Department of
Librarianship on library of manuscripts, preparing catalogues of manuscripts,
Ottoman paleography and the source books of bibliography, between 1960 and
1982.
She participated
in several meetings during the preparations of the Atatürk Culture, Language
and History Higher Association as the representative of the Ministry of
Culture. She was elected as a principal member of Atatürk Cultural Center under
the Higher Association. She undertook duties at the center mentioned above, as
a member of the Board of Science and the Board of Executives, the Committees of
Literature and Folklore, the Committee for Portable Historical Artifacts,
Science and Implementation, the Publishing Commission; and as the director at
the Committee of Literature and Folklore Science and Implementation for a term
between 1989–1992 and at the Committee of Library for three terms between
1983–1992. She undertook the duty of chairwomanship of the sub-project for “Türk
Dünyası Edebiyatçıları Ansiklopedisi” (Encyclopedia of the Men of Letters
in the Turkish World), in the framework of a project titled “Common Literature
of the Turkish World”, which was carried out by the Center.
She started writing with an article published
in the newspaper Kırşehir in 1948 with the title Üç Kırşehirli Dost (The
Three Friends from Kırşehir). Her poems were published in the reviews Atatürk
Yolu and Türk Kadını. She gained fame with her studies and
bibliographies on Turkish literature and culture.
Her articles were
published in the reviews Erdem, Bilge, Belleten, DTCF, Folklor
Araştırmaları, Hisar, Ka-De-Fe, Kubbealtı Akademi Mecmuası, Millî Işık, Önasya,
Selamet, Türk Dili, Türk Edebiyatı, Türk Kadını, Türk Kültürü, Türk Yurdu and
Vakıflar. She participated and presented communiqués in congresses,
symposiums, seminars, panels and scientific meetings both at home and abroad
(including the United States and Afghanistan). She has a Certificate of Eminent
Services to Turkish Folklore. She collected the Eminent Services to Turkish
Culture Award of the Foundation of Turkish National Culture; the Eminent
Services to Turkish Culture Award of the Professional Association of Scientific
and Literary Work Owners of Turkey; İhsan Hınçer Award for Services to Turkish
Folklore of the Foundation for Turkish Folklore Studies. She is a member of the
Institute for the Study of Turkish Culture, the Association of Turkish
Librarians, the Cultural Association of Turkish Women, the Foundation from
Turkish Folklore Studies, and the Association of Studies of the Social Life of
Women. She was elected as a member of the executive board of Turkish National
Committee of UNESCO for two terms until 1978. She has prepared four graduation
theses on folklore at the Faculties of Literature in Ege, Çanakkale and İnönü
universities and on her studies related to librarianship at Ankara University,
Faculty of Language, History and Culture.
WORKS:
BIBLIOGRAPHY: Türk
Kadın Yazarların Eserleri (The Works of Turkish Female Writers, 1955), Fuzuli
Hakkında Bir Bibliyografya Denemesi (An Essay of Bibliography About Fuzuli,
1956), Farabi Bibliyografyası (The Bibliography of Farabi, in
collaboration with İ. Binark and N. Sefercioğlu, 1973), Ali Kuşçu
Bibliyografyası (A Bibliography of Ali Kuşçu, 1974), Ömer Seyfettin
Bibliyografyası (A Bibliography of Ömer Seyfettin, 1985), Ahmet Haşim
Bibliyografyası (A Bibliography of Ahmet Haşim, Ahmet Haşim on the
Anniversary of His 100th Birthday, 1987), Yahya Kemal Beyatlı
Bibliyografyası (A Bibliography of Yahya Kemal, 1998).
CATALOGUE: Atatürk'ün Özel
Kütüphanesi Kataloğu (A Catalogue of Atatürk’s Private Library,
collaborative work, 1973), Millî Kütüphane Yazmalar Kataloğu (A
Catalogue of Manuscripts at the National Library, in collaboration with Dursun
Kaya and N. Ünver, 1st-8th volumes, 1987), Türkiye Basmaları Toplu Kataloğu
(A Comprehensive Catalogue of Printed Books of Turkey, in collaboration with D.
Kaya, 1st-6th volumes, 1990), Türk Dil Kurumu Kütüphanesi Yazma Eserler
Kataloğu (A Catalogue of Manuscripts at the Library of Turkish Language
Association, in collaboration with D. Kaya, N. Ünver and H. Yılmaz, 1999).
ANTHOLOGY: Başakların Sesi: Türk
Halk Şairleri Hayat ve Eserleri (The Voices of Gleanings: Lives and Works
of Turkish Folk Poets, 1966), Türk Kadınının Şiiri (The Poetry of
Turkish Women, in collaboration with Neriman Saryal, 1970; expanded fourth
edition, 2000).
RESEARCH: Yunus Emre'de Namaz (Namaz* in Yunus Emre, 1956), Yunus Emre'nin Gönlü (Heart of Yunus Emre, 1957), Karacaoğlan Hayatı ve Şiirleri (The Life and Works of Karacaoğlan, 1972), Ölümünün 20. Yılında Ord. Prof. Dr. Sadri Maksudi Arsal (Professor in Ordinary Sadri Maksudi Arsal on the 20th Anniversary of His Death, 1972), Atatürk ve Millî Kültür (Atatürk and National Culture, 1973), Millî Mücadele'de Türk Kadını (Turkish Women in the Independence War, in collaboration with İ. Enginün and C. Özdemir, 1983), Anadolu'nun Bütünleşmesi'nde Ahmed Yesevî'nin Yeri (The Role of Ahmed Yesevi in the Integration of Anatolia, 1995), Türk Kadını İçin (For Turkish Women, 1997).
EDITION: Fuzuli Divanı (The Divan* of Fuzuli, in collaboration with K. Akyüz, S. Beken and S. Yüksel, 1956), Yeni Hayat ve Doğru Yol (The New Life and the True Path, from Ziya Gökalp, 1976), Hattatların ve Kitap Sanatçılarının Destanları (The Epics of the Calligraphers and Book Artists, the epic of the skills of Mustafa Ali of Gelibolu, 1982), Son Asır Türk Şairleri (Turkish Poets of the Last Century, 1st volume, from İbnülemin Mahmud Kemal İnal, 1999).
