In the 1970's a department for rare and valuable books was created in the library. In January of 1992, the department was transformed into the Department of Manuscripts and Rare Books. This was an occasion to create a new structural division in the library where ancient Turkic-Tatar and manuscripts in other eastern languages would be gathered.

Today the Department of Manuscripts and Rare Books is an independent structural division of the library with its own specialized research and production department.

The collection of documents in the Department of Manuscripts and Rare Books now includes about 100,000 items.

The structure of the Department of Manuscripts and Rare Books is made up of two separate divisions:

The collection of books is listed in the electronic alphabetic card catalogue and the regular catalogues. Separate catalogues of the collection, for seal-style old-fashioned font books, etc, are also available. Exhibition of the collection & publicity, with the help of mass media, are widely employed. The employees of the department conduct scientific-methodical studies and organize publishing projects. In the library, favorable conditions are created for the use of the book collection in the interests of science, scholarship and culture.
 

The department offers: