Launched as a regular series in 2018, the ANAMED Library Talks were shaped by an approach that considers the library not merely as a place for research, but as a vibrant intellectual space where knowledge is collectively reflected upon and debated. Since then, the series has brought together researchers from diverse disciplines, methodologies, and geographies, transforming the library into a plural and dynamic meeting point.
Looking at the themes that have formed the backbone of the program in recent years, it becomes clear that the ANAMED Library Talks engage with contemporary research questions while maintaining a strong sense of historical depth. Between 2023 and 2025, the talks offered a broad framework ranging from Byzantine and Ottoman studies to the history of modernization, from architecture and urban landscapes to musical geographies.
Another notable aspect of the program has been the increasing visibility of digital humanities and computational methods. Talks spanning web archives, digital collections, the digital futures of museums, and computational approaches to history have addressed the library’s digital transformation not merely as a technical issue, but as an epistemological field of inquiry.
In this context, the ANAMED Library Talks have evolved into a platform that aims to foster a productive dialogue between traditional research practices and emerging digital tools.
Another prominent theme across the programs has been the reinterpretation of collections in different contexts. In this regard, the Suna Kıraç Library Digital Collections have played a significant role in the program throughout the years. Photographic collections, inscriptions, architectural documents, and maps have been approached not only as objects to be preserved, but as instruments of knowledge production that re-enter circulation through exhibitions, publications, and digital projects. This perspective has made visible the dynamic relationship between ANAMED Library collections and ongoing research processes.
The 2026 Program
The program prepared for 2026 aims to carry forward the intellectual accumulation built by the ANAMED Library Talks while expanding the field of discussion through new questions and perspectives. Shaped around themes such as history, archives, environment, digital methods, and visual culture, the talks continue to position the library at the center of thinking and collective knowledge production.
As it has since 2018, the ANAMED Library Talks in 2026 aim to support interdisciplinary dialogue, critical thinking, and collective learning processes. These conversations, originating from the library, continue to multiply and expand each year through new questions.
We invite all those interested to become part of this shared space of reflection.
