Deltian Library is a privately curated collection of rare and historical texts, with holdings dating back to the 16th century.

 

The library began in the Balat district of Istanbul, where early acquisitions were made from local street vendors. What started as a personal habit of collecting later crossed borders, first to Ottawa, Canada, and now to Amsterdam, where the collection continues to grow.

 

As the collection has grown, so has its scope. Beyond acquiring and keeping books, the Deltian Library now examines individual pieces closely and publishes the results of that work. It also runs bibliography courses built around the collection itself, aimed at anyone who wants to learn how to properly read, date, and understand old books. And it exists, in part, to encourage the collecting and keeping of antique books more broadly.