Ottoman book culture and libraries appearing on the pages of travel books in the XIXth century

XIXth century is a period for Ottoman Empire in which traditional sources are preserved and information that can help modernization movements is producted. The basic characteristics of conservation of knowledge and book, and production and trade of it is formed by traditional knowledge sources and knowledge sources related to Occidentalization. The subjected sources are in two classes: knowledge of rulership and society. The ruling class/state and community are interested in different sciences and knowledges. The first demands modern sources and the second thinks traditional sources are sufficient. They all together compose Ottoman knowledge organization in XIXth century. The disciplines and knowledge sources that Ottoman is interested in are the topics of travel books of XIXth century. Ottoman book culture, libraries, production and trade of book-knowledge are concerns of all the travelers, notably orientalists. In the West, especially among the Western intellectuals, Library of Seraglio is the most curious place following Harem. Just like Harem, as Library of Seraglio and its contents is behind the closed doors it remained secret to Westerners. It has become the largest problem of Western intellectuals, orientalists and travelers since past years. Aside from the Library of Seraglio which is a reflection of knowledge sources of sultanate and knowledge organization of state, there are public libraries which is for ulama and contains knowledge sources of community, libraries of monastery and patriarchate which contains knowledge sources of non-muslims, private libraries which forms important archives in the East, and special libraries which contains modern sciences that is also related to ruling class. They all contain the sources that Ottoman Empire preserved and benefit. This also indicates the largeness of the knowledge organization of Ottoman in the XIXth century. Book production and trade is important because of reproduction and transfer of knowledge. Book production begins with printing house of sultanate. It makes sure that modern knowledge which ruling class need is produced. When the number of Turkish printing houses increase literary books started to be produced for people. Traditional and religious knowledge for ulama is produced with traditional ways. In the non-muslim printing houses knowledge for the non-muslim people is produced, that is also religious. On the other hand, missionary printing houses, books and libraries are in service of Western imperialism by providing knowledge and book production. It is also a tool that starts a type of relationship between East and West. Ottoman book trade is an extensive business and both manuscripts and printed books are on sale. Both traditional and modern knowledge of Ottoman expands not only in the East but also in the West thanks to book trade. Western book hunters brought a lot of books and knowledge in Europe through the book trade, libraries of embassy and via persons. The ones who bring book and knowledge from East to the West had learned Ottoman knowledge organization through their researches. Book hunting helped the discipline of Orientalism improve in the West. The ones who bring book and knowledge from West to the East carry missionary aims and have orientalist thoughts. When the subjects of book culture, libraries, and knowledge organization are studied by a Eastern traveler the results comes out completely different. The connection between East-West or East-East that travelers make determines the intellectual, cultural and scientific relationships in the Eastern Mediterranean.