Tradicija očuvanja i postojanja pisane riječi na gradačačkim prostorima datira još od 16. Otada postoje i prvi pisani tragovi u obliku katastarskih deftera iz perioda osmanske vladavine. godine, a njen osnivač bio je Sejjid Fadil-paša Šerifović, pjesnik i državnik. Ova je biblioteka čuvala djela pisana na orijentalnim jezicima iz oblasti teologije, prava, filozofije, historije i medicine. godine u
Gradačcu je osnovana Narodna biblioteka, čiji je razvoj bio u ekspanziji sve do rata za nezavisnost BiH (1992-1995). A u skladu sa novim Zakonom o biblotečkoj djelatnosti iz 1996. godine biblioteka se izdvaja iz Centra za kulturu i tako nastaje Javna ustanova Javna biblioteka Gradačac. Poslije završene revizije knjižnog fonda ustanovljeno je 15.224 inventarna broja od prijeratnih 35.000 knjiga. Od toga evidentirano je 348 rariteta i mnoštvo vrijedne periodike u kojoj su naslovi od ”Bosanske vile” iz 1891. godine pa sve do ovovremenih listova i časopisa. Knjižni fond biblioteke “Alija isaković” danas ponovo sadrži 35.000 knjiga, a u 2002. godini evidentirano je 2.063 korisnika. Rad u biblioteci je organiziran po odjelima: zavičajna zbirka, čitaonica ( za djecu i omladinu, za odrasle i odjeljenje stručne literature) i zbirka rariteta. Pristup knjizi omogućen je stanovništvu širom općine Gradačac putem pokretne biblioteke po mjesnim zajednicama i isturenog odjeljenja u lječilištu Banja Ilidža. Rad sa korisnicima obavljaju četiri knjižničara, a stručne bibliotečke poslove bibliotekar. Za opremljenost i funkcionalnost ove javne ustanove naročito su zaslužne organizacije USAID-OTI, LORA, Soros Open Society Fund, odnosno Bošnjački institut u Cirihu i Nacionalna biblioteka u Sarajevu. Projekat katalogizacije, izrade autorskog kataloga, uspješno izveden 1997, omogućava efikasnost u radu. Biblioteka je izdavač časopisa za kulturu “Diwan”. Prvi broj “Diwana” objelodanjen je 1998. godine, a 2002. godine objavljen je dvobroj 7-8. U “Diwanu” objavljuju autori iz cijele Bosne i Hercegovine, ali i inostranstva (Nizozemska, Poljska, SAD, Njemačka, Hrvatska, Srbija, Makedonija, Crna Gora). U novembru 2002. potpisan je ugovor sa njemačkom organizacijom Questa Soft iz Frankfurta (M) za distribuciju “Diwana” putem CEEOL (Central and Eastern European Online Library). Učešćem u svim javnim društvenim događajima u Gradačcu, biblioteka “Alija Isaković” dokazala je da je stvaralački aktivan dio zajednice. Biblioteka je jedan od organizatora manifestacije “Gradačački književni susreti”, a takođe i književnih večeri, promocija, dramskih večeri, poetskih recitala i seminara. Općinsko vijeće Gradačca dodijelilo je ovoj ustanovi najviše priznanje – Zlatni grb Grada. PI Public Library ” Alija Isaković “Gradačac
The tradition of preservation of the written word in Gradaèac dates back to the 16 th century. The first written traces in the form of cadastre registers from the period of Ottoman reign are from that time. The first independent library in Gradaèac was founded in 1839, and its founder was Sejid Fadič-paša Šerifović , a poet and statesman. This library preserved works in Oriental languages from the fields of theology, law, philosophy, history and medicine. After 1945, a National Library was founded in Gradačac and it continued to develop until the war of independence of B-H (1992-1995). In accordance with the Law on Library Activities from 1996, the library was separated from the Cultural Centre and the Public Institution Public Library of Gradačac was formed. After the completion of the assessment of the collection, 15,224 units out of the 35,000 books the library housed before the war were found to have been preserved. Of those, 348 were rare editions and there was a multitude of valuable periodicals ranging from “ Bosanska vila ” from 1891 to current periodicals and magazines. Today, the book collection of the ” Alija isaković ” library contains 35,000 books, again and in 2002 the library had 2.063 members. The library is organised into departments: the heritage collection, the reading room (for children and youth, for adults and a section for technical literature) and the collection of rare editions. The population throughout the Gradačac municipality has access to books thanks to the mobile library which visits its communities and thanks to the library branch at the Banja Ilidža health spa. Four assistant librarians work with library members and expert library tasks are handled by a librarian. The following organisations are particularly responsible for the functioning of the Library: USAID-OTI , LORA, Soros Open Society Fund, the Bosniak Institute in Zurich and the National Library in Sarajevo. The project of cataloguing and the creation of an authors’ catalogue was successfully completed in 1997 and it ensures greater efficiency in the operation of this institution
The Library publishes the magazine for culture “ Diwan ”. The first issue of ” Diwan ” was published in 1998 and in 2002. the double issue 7-8 was published. ” Diwan ” publishes works of authors from all over Bosnia-Herzegovina, but also from authors from abroad (the Netherlands, Poland, USA, Germany, Croatia, Serbia, Macedonia, Montenegro). In November 2002, a contract was signed with the Questa.Soft organisation from Frankfurt (M) for the distribution of “ Diwan ” through CEEOL (Central and Eastern European Online Library
By participating in all public events in Gradačac , the “ Alija Isaković ” Library has proven that it is an active part of the community. The Library is one of the organisers of the manifestation « Gradačac Literary Meetings» as well as literary evenings, promotions, drama evenings, poetry recitals and seminars. The Municipal Council of Gradačac awarded this institution its highest acknowledgment – the Town's Golden Coat of Arms.
