Zafer Toprak’la Boğaziçi Üniversitesi Atatürk Enstitüsü yüksek lisans mülakatında tanıştım. Hoca dersleri ziyaretleri ayrı bir vecd içinde geçerdi. Sıraserviler Caddesi No:49’da bulunan Yeni Hayat Apartmanı ikinci katındaki evinde misafirlerini kendi ağırlar, çayınızı kahvenizi o servis eder, sizin hizmet etmenize bile razı olmazdı. Hoca, alanı ile ilgili binlerce kitap, dergi ve efemera toplayan, kitaplarını tek tek plastik bir kapla elle kaplayan bir araş¬tırmacıydı, bir koleksiyoner değildi. Hocamız da bizim gibi koleksiyona karşıydı. O sadece Türkiye gibi kütüphanelerin kıt olduğu bir memlekette hayatı boyunca elde ettiği maddi imkânı ile kitaplarına sığınak, kendine çalışma mekânı ve malzeme temin ediyordu.

I had the opportunity to meet Zafer Toprak during my graduate interview at Boğaziçi University's Atatürk Institute. The atmosphere of his lectures was filled with a unique sense of passion and enthusiasm. Located on the second floor of Yeni Hayat Apartmanı, at Sıraserviler Street No:49, his apartment served as a welcoming space where he graciously hosted guests. He would personally attend to their needs, serving them tea and coffee, never allowing them to lift a finger to assist. Toprak was not a collector, but a dedicated researcher with an extensive collection of books, magazines, and ephemera related to his field. He would meticulously protect his books by individually covering them, ensuring their preservation. He saw his books as a haven, providing him with a dedicated workspace and access to resources in a country where libraries were not readily available. Throughout his life, he used the financial means he had acquired to create this refuge for his books and to secure a space for his research.