Director-General of the National library of the Republic Kazakhstan G.K.Balabekova received the representatives of the Embassy of France in Kazakhstan and the French institute for research in Central Asia (IFEAC). The delegation included Francis Rishare , acting director of the French institute for research of Central Asia, Johann Yures, councillor on the issues of culture and cooperation of the Embassy of France to Kazakhstan (Astana city), Benedict Brunet, attache on culture of the Embassy of France in Kazakhstan, G.A.Kambarbekova, scientific worker of the Instutute of Oriental studies after R.B.Suleimenov.

   The National library of the RK and the Embassy of France in the Republic of Kazakhstan are linked by the old and close friendly relations. Before the coming Year of culture of France in Kazakhstan (2013) and the Year of culture of Kazakhstan in France (2014) there were discussed the possibilities of implementation of joint projects in the sphere of providing information for French researchers in Kazakhstan, digital documents in the Internet, study of the libraries’ fonds, conservation and restoration, training of the library specialists of Kazakhstan and Central Asia. And also the publication of the catalogue of French literature from the fond of rare books and manuscripts of the National library of the RK.

   In the course of the excursion the guests became acquainted with the fonds of the Department of rare books and manuscripts and the Department of world literature.

   The collection of French rare books at the National library of the RK numbers approximately 7800 copies, from among them 1800 in the fond of rare books and manuscripts. The books are dated beginning from 1659 till the beginning of the XX-th century. The earliest editions are “Oleari Adam. The continuation of the report about the travel to Moscovia, Tataria and Persia” (1659),  “Journal des scavans” (1679) and others. There are in the collection the works by Voltaire, Jean-Jacque Rousseau, Moliere, Hugo, Diderot, encyclopaedias, editions on history, geography and other branches of science.