Abstract
The article provides a brief history of the development of librarianship in Kazakhstan, starting with Otrar Library, which existed in the Middle Ages, and ending with the stage of creation of library associations and consortia, testifying to the maturity of the library professional community in the country. Since a library is not only an information center with appropriate technologies, but, first of all, a specialized institution of society, designed to collect, store and popularize certain social values and cultural heritage, the article pays considerable attention to the specific culture of Kazakh people, as well as the cultural and historical factors that have had a significant impact on the development of libraries in Kazakhstan.