"In earlier times, central places where Turks conducted their religion-based cultural activities in Rhodes were Süleymaniye mosque and Hafız Ahmet Ağa Library. The library was found in 1793 by Hafız Ahmet Ağa, who was born in Rhodes, educated in the imperial court and was entrusted with prominent position by Sultan Selim III; whereas the Ottomans had to wait until the reign of Mahmut II and the year 1829 to see the opening of a similar library in Cyprus. Starting from the Tanzimat edict, official state yearbook called Ottoman State Almanac started to be printed in state printeries. The first almanac was printed in Rhodes in 1874. When Rhodes became Mediterranean Islands Pronvincial Center in 1887, some other almanacs were also printed in the island. We can more easily followe the presence of Ottoman Turkish cultural and literal works printed in the Aegean sea as of 1880's as well." Source: The Forgotten Turkish Identity of the Aegean Islands, Mustafa Kaymakçı & Cihan Özgün, p. 150-151
