There Is Magic in Here: "Our Home Library" in Istanbul, Turkey

"There is magic in here. I never read books, but this place makes me wanna read books!"

He is maybe ten years old. Most likely, he has never been to a library before. He came to "Our Home Library" with his teacher and his classmates. He then got curious. Soon, he had a book in his hand and he was reading. After finishing the book, he says, "This place is magical." This is exactly how all visitors of this special library feel. "Our Home Library" is a remarkable place in the middle of Istanbul (this wonderful, big city with big problems) that makes each and every one see the beautiful and positive side of things. People come here smiling and leave with an even bigger smile.

In 2017, Sevim Ak celebrated her thirtieth anniversary as a children's author; she has now published more than thirty books. Most of her works are already considered classics in Turkish children's literature. Children love her books and cherish her as a writer so much that her readers are also her fans. They write to her, find ways to meet her, visit her... Not just children, their parents feel the same way as well. What makes Sevim Ak special is this special bond she has forged with her readers during all these years.

Since the beginning of her career, she has always cared about getting together with children–especially the ones who do not have the opportunity to reach her. She has travelled to distant cities and villages. She has resided at regional boarding institutions, sometimes for weeks, with children who are living and studying under difficult circumstances. She slept where they slept. She ate what they ate. She read books to them. In return, the children shared their inner worlds and their stories with her. She has honored her experiences from these travels in her book titled The Children of the Sun.

Writing and welcoming every opportunity to get together with children, for years Sevim Ak had a wish deep in her heart. After her parents passed away, she lived in their apartment for a while; however, her desire was to turn her late parents' house into a library for children. She had to wait until 2016 for her wish to come true. She bought bookcases, tables, chairs, and other necessities to make children comfortable. She and her brother, Behiç Ak–who is an eminent children's books writer, illustrator, and intellectual–provided the books from their own home libraries and… voila! "Our Home Library" came to life. From that day, Sevim and Behiç Ak continue to enrich the library by adding hundreds of books every month. It now boasts almost ten thousand books for children to take, read, and return to the library for others to enjoy.

Children not only find books here but also participate in different activities. Every week, an author, illustrator, teacher, librarian, creative drama leader, or artist comes to "Our Home Library" to read and talk about books, draw pictures inspired by a story, make origami, paint masks, build wish trees, play music, or sing songs with children. Along with these creative activities, each month a book club meeting takes place for three different age groups: pre-school children, children aged between nine and eleven years, and those aged twelve and above.

Sevim Ak says, "Getting to know children, trying to understand the underlying events that constitute their way of feeling and thinking, enriches my life." A girl mentions that when she first came to the library she was afraid she would be criticized if she said something wrong; when she saw that everyone was treated equally she was relieved and started talking and expressing her thoughts. And a boy from Syria says that he could spend all 365 days of the year in this library. Sevim keeps emphasizing that the library does not belong to her or her brother. It belongs to all of us. This is why we call it "Our Home Library."

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