Delegation from the National Library of Kazakhstan Visits AUCA
June 26, 2026
On June 17-19, 2026, the American University of Central Asia welcomed a delegation from the National Library of the Republic of Kazakhstan’s Conservation, Restoration, and Bookbinding Service. The visit was held under a Memorandum of Cooperation signed between the two institutions in 2024 and aimed to strengthen regional collaboration in the preservation of library and archival collections.
Aida Shomanova, Head of the Conservation, Restoration and Bookbinding Service and Coordinator of the IFLA/PAC Regional Center, together with her colleagues, led a series of professional meetings and training sessions focused on contemporary conservation practices and capacity building. During the visit, the delegation met with colleagues from the National Library of the Kyrgyz Republic, the Manuscript Collection and Scientific Library of the National Academy of Sciences of the Kyrgyz Republic, and the Chui Regional Library. These meetings provided an opportunity to discuss current challenges in collection care, exchange expertise, and explore future areas of cooperation.
On June 19, AUCA hosted the training session “Preserving Book Heritage: Restoration of Library Collections” for librarians and archivists representing major heritage institutions across the country.
The event opened with remarks by Rinat Bekeev, Senior Specialist at the Ministry of Culture, Information and Youth Policy of the Kyrgyz Republic, who expressed gratitude to colleagues from Kazakhstan for their support and highlighted the importance of advancing book conservation and restoration practices in Kyrgyzstan.
Participants highly appreciated the hands-on workshops, which introduced practical restoration techniques and contributed to the preservation of rare books and manuscript collections.
The visit of the delegation from the National Library of the Republic of Kazakhstan marked an important step toward strengthening regional cooperation, enhancing professional expertise, and advancing efforts to preserve book and documentary heritage across Central Asia.
