General Information on the Catalog
Photo: Hadiye Cangökçe
In the catalog, manuscripts are arranged according to the classification followed in Koç University Suna Kıraç Library. This classification is based on the date of arrival of the manuscripts in the library and on the name of the book owners. Thus, all manuscripts were collected under four main sections / collections.
These manuscripts are Fuat Bayramoğlu, Mithat Sertoğlu, Josephine Powell and Şinasi Tekin. The number of the manuscript with a dark sequence is first, followed by the collection name and a volume number. If there is more than one work in a volume, this work is stated by the Roman numerals. After this chapter, which shows the number of the manuscripts, which is at the top, it is given the introductory information under four sections for each work:
1) Physical Properties
This section contains the following information: Page size; writing area size; the number of leaves, number of rows and columns; type of writing; ink color; paper and volume properties; ownership record / statements (temlik), waqf foundations (vakıf) and seals; name of copyist; history and place of the copy; specific information on the physical conditions of the work.
2) Imprint Information
The language, subject, author, name and copyright date of the work are given in this section. If the subject of the manuscript is related to more than one area, (-) mark is placed between two subject. The subfields within a general subject area are given in (). Authors and names lined up both the transcription alphabet and Arabic letters with the original spelling in bold, as if author's death was known, date was recorded both in Gregorian and Hijri Dates next to the name of author. The pen names of the authors and poets, which are known more than the real names, have been given priority patronymic and relation (nisbes) have been added next to their names. If the name of the manuscript is not included in the book or if it is unknown, it is named later given in accordance with the subject and these names are shown in [].The work that has two names or the work which becomes well known with different name differently than the original name were also recorded. Also, the copyright date of the works are written.
3) Content Information
In this section, mainly the beginning and ending sentences of the manuscript, introductory information, the content of the miscellaneous (mecmua) type of manuscripts and controversial topics on manuscripts. In verse texts, a couplet and a few lines of text in prose text are used for starting and ending sentences. Introducing the manuscript, how many sections they consist of, translation and copyright stories, the way the subject is handled, detailed content information for miscellaneous (mecmua) type of works, the names of poets who has works in the miscellaneous (mecmua) and form and type of poems, variance of poetry forms in Divans are the important topics for paying attention. If there is a controversial situation about the work or the author of the work, various possibilities and predictions are discussed in this section with the help of the available data or resources. Emphasis is placed on unique and original manuscripts.
4) Different Copies and Resources
In this section, at least one copy of the manuscript, which can be accessed and compared by means of printed catalogs or internet sources, has been mentioned. In particular, Turkish copies of manuscripts with Arabic letters, not always but but if it is necessary were pointed out and also publications works on Turkish manuscripts are mentioned. Almost at the end of each imprint in the bibliography, reference sources or specific works on work or author are mentioned. Abbreviations have been used for very frequently referenced sources and these abbreviations are given in the initial part of the this catalog named “Abbreviations for the basic resources”.
5) Indexes
The most recent are arranged to be easily accessible to any special name in the catalog. In addition to the special names, indexes were prepared according to the subjects of the works, the dates of authoring (telif) and copying (istinsah) and the languages they were written in. Detailed information about the indexes based on work number is given in the related section.