By: Kayhan Int’l Staff Writer

Books, in their printed form, are an indispensable part of human life, despite the giant leaps made by the electronic media and the e-books available on the net for download and reading on the screen.
Iran, which is one of the ancient centres of civilization going back several thousand years, has a rich heritage of printed books and manuscripts, many of which are rare and nowhere to be found elsewhere in the world, especially the Arabic and Persian collection that is eagerly sought by researchers from other countries.
"Seek knowledge from the cradle to the grave,” had said Prophet Muhammad (SAWA), a saying which continues to serve as an impetus for Iranian Muslims.
As a result, libraries in Iran are well-stacked with books on all subjects under the sun, including modern sciences.
Libraries in Iran, such as the one at the holy shrine of Imam Reza (AS) in Mashhad, and the Ayatollah Mar’ashi Library in Qom, which houses the vast manuscript collection of a single person, as well as the Majlis (parliament) Library and National Library in Tehran – to name a few – top the list of the leading libraries with international fame.
Throughout the country, almost all mosques, madrasahs, and colleges, have their own unique libraries that cater to the requirements of the local people. There are numerous private libraries all over Iran, most of which are undocumented.
The victory of the Islamic Revolution in 1979 made books and book-reading all the most popular in Iran, which currently has a 93 percent literacy rate.
In view of these facts, following the establishment of the Islamic Republic, it was but natural for Iran to hold an international book exhibit every year, although book exhibitions on various scales are common throughout the country.
This year, Iran is holding the 31st Tehran International Book Fair that started on May 2 at the sprawling 130-hectare Imam Khomeini Mosalla (Prayer Ground) and will continue till May 11.
This annual fixture affords an opportunity for the acquaintance of the young generation with the latest publications in Iran and abroad, as well as familiarity with the heritage of the past.
This year a total of 1147 publishers from Iran and 53 other countries have put on display around 86,000 new titles, of which publishers from Arab states account for 37,500 titles.
In recent years, the spread of the Internet has caused many bookworms to switch to cyberspace. According to the latest figures, 42 percent of book-readers, especially of the new generation prefer to read e-books, and this trend is on the increase.
Thus, in addition to the opportunities provided for researchers, thanks to digitizng of important books, the Internet is contributing to the spread of the book culture. As a result, information technology has vastly improved.
In short, the future is bright for the Islamic Republic of Iran, which despite the sanctions imposed by the cowardly US, has gained access to the latest knowledge in all fields.