Elif Derin holds a BA in History from Istanbul Şehir University and an MA in Ottoman manuscript culture, with a thesis titled “Manuscript Collections of Eunuchs in the Early Modern Ottoman Empire.” She is currently pursuing her PhD in the Department of History at Fatih Sultan Mehmet Vakıf University, where she also works as a manuscript specialist at the university’s Center for Manuscript Studies. Her research focuses on Ottoman manuscript culture, with particular attention to the histories of collections and libraries. In addition to her work in manuscript studies and book culture, she is actively engaged in digital humanities, especially in developing digital methods for the transcription and encoding of Ottoman Turkish texts. She continues her contributions in this field through her editorial roles on the Digital Ottoman Studies and Digital Ottoman Corpora platforms.

“When Tarık Tüten first visited our Center for Manuscript Studies, I could not have imagined that I would develop such a close connection with the Hafız Ahmed Agha Collection. What began as a formal institutional collaboration—and, admittedly, with a degree of reluctance—gradually came to occupy a meaningful place in my academic life. But the story did not end there; with my visit to the library and through the people I met, this relationship took on an even more personal and intimate character. It is not uncommon for historians, especially those whose research centers on a particular historical figure, to develop a sense of familiarity or even affinity with their subject. For me, that connection was established even before the research began, during my very first visit to the library. The hospitality and friendship I experienced on the Island and within the Library gave rise to a genuine sense of responsibility toward the legacy of Hafız Ahmed Agha, as if I had become part of his extended family. This article, a preliminary exercise related to my doctoral dissertation, was written with deep affection and gratitude for all the friendships the Hafız Ahmed Agha Library has brought into my life.”

Elif Derin

Gülsüm Gülsev Şanver completed her BA in 2016 at the Department of History at 29 Mayıs University with a thesis titled “Scholars and Intellectual Life during the Reign of Murad II According to Şakâik-i Numâniyye.” She earned her master’s degree at the same university in 2019 with a thesis titled “Şeyhülislam Molla Arab (d. 1496) and an Analysis of His Fatwa Collection,” under the supervision of Ertuğrul Ökten. She is currently pursuing her doctoral studies in the Department of History at Fatih Sultan Mehmet Vakıf University, working on a dissertation titled “Kuyûdât as Historical Material: A Socio-Cultural Analysis Based on Notes in Ohrid Manuscripts.” Since 2022, Şanver has been serving as a specialist at the Center for Manuscript Studies at the same university. Her research focuses on manuscript culture, Ottoman manuscript collections, the use of manuscripts as historical sources, and the sociocultural history of the Ottoman Empire.

“Each manuscript copy (nüsha) contains unique examples of kuyûdât—notes, marginalia, and other handwritten records—that await discovery by manuscript researchers. Given the nature of their content, these materials hold the potential to serve as primary sources for historical research. In this article, as in my broader scholarly work, what I pursue is the effort to interpret the meanings expressed through these words and small phrases penned by individuals. One of the most important factors that enabled us to carry out this publication was the accessibility and examinability of Ottoman manuscript collections. I would like to specifically acknowledge Tarık Tüten’s efforts in increasing our curiosity about the Hafız Ahmed Agha Collection and in his dedication to constructing its historical background. Since the day we met, he has regarded even our slightest interest in the collection as meaningful. I sincerely thank him for the attention and support he has shown us throughout this research.”

Gülsüm Gülsev Şanver