--- title: Mehmet Seyfettin Özege slug: mehmet-seyfettin-ozege-96839 url: /detay/mehmet-seyfettin-ozege-96839 type: biography language: English entity: primary: Mehmet Seyfettin Özege type: biography categories: - name: Biography And Autobiography slug: biyografi-ve-otobiyografi url: /kategori/biyografi-ve-otobiyografi tags: - Bibliographer - Rare Works - Fuat Sezgin Library - Seyfettin Özege - Book - Erzurum author: Rabia Dalkıran created_at: 2026-06-16T18:07:03.717797+03:00 updated_at: 2026-06-16T18:07:03.717797+03:00 image: https://cdn.t3pedia.org/media/uploads/2026/04/23/arGWpTHuvxgqUtH6decLIWlMi8kK7uRk.jpeg --- # Mehmet Seyfettin Özege > Mehmet Seyfettin Özege (1901–1981) is a bibliographer and book collector known for his work identifying, collecting, and bibliographically recording Turkish works published in Arabic script during the Ottoman period. ## KURE Information Cards ![ozege-m-seyfettin-1.jpg](https://cdn.t3pedia.org/media/uploads/2026/04/23/NwVXYn0cDsRLdJraX3HkfsI3UdQkzQK3.jpg) *Mehmet Seyfettin Özege* | Field | Value | |-------|-------| | Place of birth and death | Istanbul | | Notable field of work | Bibliography of Turkish works published during the Ottoman period | | Languages known | Persian,Arabic,French | | Occupation | Book Collector,Bibliographer | | Date of death | 1981-04-27 | | Date of birth | 1901-02-07 | ## Article Content [Mehmet Seyfettin Özege](/en/detay/mehmet-seyfettin-ozege-d65d8/llms.txt) (1901–1981) was a bibliographer and book collector known for his work identifying, collecting, and bibliographically documenting Turkish works printed in Arabic script during the Ottoman period. Over many years, he assembled tens of thousands of works, mostly printed in the old Turkish script, forming a systematic collection. He personally examined each work and prepared detailed bibliographic records. His compiled *Catalog of Turkish Works Printed in Old Script* serves as a reference source encompassing publications printed from the 18th century until 1928, facilitating researchers’ access to these materials.[^1] In 1961, he donated his collection to Atatürk University, ensuring the preservation of these works and enabling their use for research purposes.[^2] ### **Life and Education**[^3] Mehmet Seyfettin Özege was born on 7 February 1901 in Istanbul. He completed his primary education at Rehber-i Saâdet Mektebi in Fatih, continued his secondary education at Vefa İdâdîsi, and then studied at Vefa Sultânîsi, entering the Mülkiye Mektebi in 1918. He graduated from the Mülkiye Mektebi on 7 June 1921 and continued his higher education, completing his studies at the Istanbul Faculty of Law in 1924. After graduation, he worked independently for a time and began serving as an assistant teacher at Mekteb-i Mülkiye in 1925, but left this position shortly thereafter. In the same year, he joined İ‘tibâr-ı Millî Bankası as a clerk. Following the merger of this bank with Türkiye İş Bankası, he transferred to the Istanbul Central Branch of Türkiye İş Bankası on 10 January 1926. He served in this institution for many years, holding successive positions as head, deputy manager, controller, and chief controller. He retired voluntarily on 30 June 1950. He was fluent in French, Arabic, and Persian. He lived in Istanbul his entire life and died there on 27 April 1981. ### Catalog of Turkish Works Printed in Old Script The *Catalog of Turkish Works Printed in Old Script*, compiled by Mehmet Seyfettin Özege, is a comprehensive effort aimed at the bibliographic identification of Turkish works printed in Arabic script during the Ottoman period. The catalog was designed to include all publications printed from the early 18th century, when printing was introduced in the Ottoman Empire, until 1928.[^4] The study records bibliographically Turkish books, treatises, and other printed materials published both within and beyond the borders of the Ottoman Empire. The catalog is a multi-volume work published in fascicles, consisting of large-format volumes. The entries are based exclusively on works that Özege personally examined; no item was included in the bibliographic list without direct inspection. For each work, bibliographic elements such as title, author or translator name, place and date of printing, physical characteristics, and page counts were systematically recorded. Different editions of the same work were grouped under a single entry, and all items were arranged alphabetically. The catalog includes not only books but also single-sheet texts, textbooks, calendars, announcements, reports, and various periodicals. In this respect, the catalog constitutes a systematic bibliography that documents a broad spectrum of printed cultural products. ### **Nature and Scope of the Collection** The collection assembled by Mehmet Seyfettin Özege consists of tens of thousands of printed materials gathered over many years. The majority of the collection comprises Turkish works printed in Arabic script during the Ottoman period, alongside a limited number of publications in other languages. The collected materials extend beyond books to include periodicals, treatises, single-sheet texts, and various printed documents. The collection contains textbooks, scholarly works, literary texts, official documents, and diverse printed materials related to daily life. Özege did not merely accumulate these works; he examined each one individually, recorded its bibliographic details, and organized these records into a coherent system. The collection was assembled with a clear chronological and thematic focus, particularly aiming to bring together printed materials reflecting the transition from the Ottoman Empire to the Republic. In this sense, the collection constitutes a systematic compilation that comprehensively represents a specific historical period through a wide variety of printed materials. ### **Donation Process and Institutionalization** Mehmet Seyfettin Özege planned for his lifelong collection to be donated so that it would not be dispersed after his death and would remain accessible to researchers. In this spirit, he decided in 1961 to donate his collection to Atatürk University, a decision formalized through correspondence with the university. The initiative of Dr. Niyazi Akı, a faculty member at Atatürk University, played a decisive role in facilitating the donation process.[^5] ![Image](https://cdn.t3pedia.org/media/uploads/2026/04/25/V3SY5EwCdViNUyk8gt7D0tQTWDCpUUox.jpeg) *Fuat Sezgin Kütüphanesi, Mehmet Seyfettin Özege Nadir Eserler Salonu: Özege Tanıtım Tablosu ( Rabia Dalkıran)* When donating the collection, Özege stipulated certain conditions, including the preservation of the collection’s integrity and the cataloging and publication of its contents. According to the donation terms, a printed alphabetical catalog based on titles was to be published within a specified period after the transfer of the collection. Following the donation, the process of organizing the collection within the university began, but it encountered various challenges due to the university’s recent establishment, including insufficient space and personnel. During this period, students were employed to assist with classification and cataloging, and work proceeded in stages. Over time, the organization of the collection was completed, and an institutional structure was established within the university. As a result, the collection became accessible to researchers and was transformed into a systematic library unit. ### **Academic Significance and Place in Bibliographic Research** The *Catalog of Turkish Works Printed in Old Script* prepared by Mehmet Seyfettin Özege is a comprehensive bibliographic study that enabled the systematic identification of Turkish works printed during the Ottoman period. This catalog made it possible to consolidate scattered printed materials from various libraries into a single structured framework, greatly facilitating researchers’ access to these sources. The catalog includes not only books but also treatises, single-sheet printed materials, announcements, syllabi, and various periodicals, thereby providing a broad framework for evaluating printed cultural products. Özege’s methodology, based on direct examination of sources, significantly enhances the reliability of the bibliographic records. When considered together, his collection and catalog constitute a unique resource for tracing the development of printed culture during the transition from the Ottoman Empire to the Republic. In this regard, Özege’s work occupies a prominent place among reference sources for research in Turkish publishing history, librarianship, and bibliography. ### **Other Work** Mehmet Seyfettin Özege wrote *A Bibliographer of Ours: Nurullah Pertevoğlu (1894–1956)*, a study on the life and works of Nurullah Pertevoğlu.[^6] ## Academic Sources and References 1. Akbayar, Nuri. "ÖZEGE, M. Seyfettin." \*TDV İslâm Ansiklopedisi\*, Volume 34, pp. 126-127. İstanbul: TDV İslâm Araştırmaları Merkezi, 2007. Accessed April 20, 2026. https://islamansiklopedisi.org.tr/ozege-m-seyfettin 2. Biography. "Mehmet Seyfettin Özege." Accessed April 20, 2026. https://www.biyografya.com/tr/biographies/mehmet-seyfettin-ozege-856ea345 3. Tosun, Mustafa Selman. "Seyfettin Özege Koleksiyonu'nun Önemi." \*Hikem\* 2, no. 2 (2024): 93–99. Accessed April 20, 2026. https://dergipark.org.tr/tr/download/article-file/4161984 4. Yılmaz, Malik. "Arşiv Belgeleri İle Seyfettin Özege Kütüphanesinin Oluşturulma Süreci." \*Atatürk Üniversitesi Türkiyat Araştırmaları Enstitüsü Dergisi\*, no. 69 (2020): 671–705. Accessed April 20, 2026. https://dergipark.org.tr/tr/pub/ataunitaed/article/822013 5. Yılmaz, Malik. "Mektuplarla Seyfettin Özege ve Kütüphanesinin Bağış Süreci." \*Bilgi Dünyası\* 21, no. 1 (2020): 125–165. Accessed April 20, 2026. https://bd.org.tr/tr/article/view/544 6. Yılmaz, Malik. "Seyfettin Özege ve Kitabiyat Felsefesi." \*Ankara Üniversitesi Dil ve Tarih-Coğrafya Fakültesi Dergisi\* 58, no. 2 (2018): 1361–1389. Accessed April 20, 2026. https://dergipark.org.tr/tr/pub/dtcfdergisi/article/1044573 ## Citations [^1]: Malik Yılmaz, “Seyfettin Özege ve Kitabiyat Felsefesi,” Ankara Üniversitesi Dil ve Tarih-Coğrafya Fakültesi Dergisi 58, no. 2 (2018): 1361–1389, erişim 20 Nisan 2026, https://dergipark.org.tr/tr/pub/dtcfdergisi/article/1044573 [^2]: Malik Yılmaz, “Mektuplarla Seyfettin Özege ve Kütüphanesinin Bağış Süreci,” Bilgi Dünyası 21, no. 1 (2020): 125–165, erişim 20 Nisan 2026, https://bd.org.tr/tr/article/view/544 [^3]: Malik Yılmaz, “Seyfettin Özege ve Kitabiyat Felsefesi,” Ankara Üniversitesi Dil ve Tarih-Coğrafya Fakültesi Dergisi 58, no. 2 (2018): 1361–1389, erişim 20 Nisan 2026, https://dergipark.org.tr/tr/pub/dtcfdergisi/article/1044573 [^4]: Malik Yılmaz, “Seyfettin Özege ve Kitabiyat Felsefesi,” Ankara Üniversitesi Dil ve Tarih-Coğrafya Fakültesi Dergisi 58, no. 2 (2018): 1361–1389, erişim 20 Nisan 2026, https://dergipark.org.tr/tr/pub/dtcfdergisi/article/1044573 [^5]: Malik Yılmaz, “Mektuplarla Seyfettin Özege ve Kütüphanesinin Bağış Süreci,” Bilgi Dünyası 21, no. 1 (2020): 125–165. https://bd.org.tr/tr/article/view/544 [^6]: Malik Yılmaz, “Seyfettin Özege ve Kitabiyat Felsefesi,” Ankara Üniversitesi Dil ve Tarih-Coğrafya Fakültesi Dergisi 58, no. 2 (2018): 1361–1389, erişim 20 Nisan 2026,https://dergipark.org.tr/tr/pub/dtcfdergisi/article/1044573