Writer and
librarian (b. 1911, Manastir– d. 1972, İstanbul). His full name was Adnan Cahit
Ötüken. He graduated from İstanbul
University, Faculty of
Literature. He is regarded as the founder of the first modern libraries in Turkey.
After graduation from university, he worked as a teacher in Yozgat for some
time. In 1936, he was sent to Germany
to be educated in librarianship. In 1941, he was appointed the Director of
Publications of the Ministry of National Education. He conducted valuable studies
during these years and established the National Library of which he was the
Director from 1948 to 1965. He was then appointed the first undersecretary of
the Ministry of Culture and retired in 1967.
While carrying
out the duties he was given by the state, he also gave lectures on
librarianship at Ankara
University, Faculty of
Language, History and Geography. In 1949 he established the Turkish Librarians'
Association. He edited the Bülten
(Bulletin), published by the association. Between 1946-1957 he prepared and
broadcast the radio program Kitap Saati (Book Hour) for Ankara Radio.
WORKS:
Bibliyotek Bilgisi ve
Bibliyografi (Information on the Library and
Bibliography, 1940), Üniversite Yayınları
Bibliyografyası (A Bibliography of University Publications, 1941), Seçme Eserler Bibliyografyası 1942- 1945
(A Bibliography of Selected Works 1942-1945, 1946), İstanbul Üniversite Yayınları Bibliyografyası 1933-1945 (A
Bibliography of İstanbul University Publications 1933-1945, in collaboration
with Türker Acaroğlu, 1947), Bibliyotekçi'nin
El Kitabı (A Guideline for Libraries, 2 volumes, 1947-1948), Klasikler Bibliyografyası 1940-1950 (A
Bibliography of Classics 1940-1950, 1952), Klasikler
Bibliyografyası 1940-1966 (A Bibliography of Classics 1940-1966, a
collaborative work, 1967), Türk Dilinin
Başına Gelenler (What Happened to the Turkish Language, 1968), TRT İçin Türkçe Dersleri (Turkish
Lessons for the Turkish Radio and Television Corporation, 1968), İki Yılda 600'den Fazla Yazı (More Than
600 Articles in Two Years, series of articles, 1968).