On April 23, Kazakhstan will celebrate National Book Day, established at the initiative of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. In the lead-up to this date, the first works published in the Kazakh language take on special significance.
The collection of rare books and manuscripts at the National Library of the Republic of Kazakhstan represents a valuable spiritual heritage. Among the most significant works are Ybyrai Altynsarin's "Kazakh Reader," published in 1879, and Mukhamedoraz Nurbai's "Korgendі bala, ulgіlі ana," published in 1910.
A special place in the collection is occupied by works dedicated to the scientific understanding of folklore heritage. One such publication is the 1923 edition of the epic "Er Targyn," which played an important role in the systematization and scientific processing of oral folklore. A significant portion of the collection also includes works of historical genealogical and memoir nature. Abulgazy Bahadur Khan's "Shezhіre-i tүrіk" (1871) and Zakhir ad-din Muhammad Babur's "Babyrnama" (1857) contributed to the expansion of historical horizons, understanding of the past of the Turkic world, and the preservation of the continuity of the Eastern written tradition.