Archives and Libraries of Jerusalem - Palestinian American Research Center

Please note that latest update was in 2012

PALESTINIAN

Name of Archive or Library	Name in Arabic: Maktabat al-Masjid al-Aqsa مكتبة المسجد الأقصى Name in English: al-Aqsa Mosque Library
Address	al-Aqsa Mosque Library Jerusalem, P.O. Box 19004
Tel number	+ 972 (0) 2 268 5708
Fax number	+ 972 (0) 2 626 2442
E-mail	khader1948@bezeqint.net
Website
Location	al-Haram al-Sharif Old Jerusalem
Hours of operation	Saturday – Wednesday, 15:00 – 18:00
Chief archivist or librarian	Khader Salama
Classification system	There is no classification system as such, but a summary of the collection is available.
Visitors per week or month	5-25 people per week
Audience	The library is open to the public, and sees students and researchers who are interested in a variety of subjects; including History, Islamic artifacts, Islamic arts, Islamic religion, Arabic language and literature.
Physical condition of the collection	It is generally good, but with some parts showing signs of disintegration.
Inquiries answered by e-mail / post	There are no inquiries or services by e- mail or post.
Access to resources	The archive or library is open to the public. Documents can be photocopied, using the photocopier and scanner available.
Information about the collection	The collections of the library can be divided into three parts: Books: The number of books in the library is around 20,000, and includes a significant collection of publications dealing with Islamic archaeology, most of which are in English, with a few in French. Within the collection are about two thousand titles that go back to the Ottoman period, written in Ottoman Turkish using the Arabic alphabet. Manuscripts: Most of the manuscripts were written in Arabic, with only a small portion written in Ottoman Turkish or Persian. The library has about 2,000 titles, which go back to the various Islamic periods from the 5th century to the end of the Ottoman period. The manuscript collection has come from a variety of sources. Perhaps the best source is the remains of the libraries of the madaras of Jerusalem that were widespread within the walled Old City. Those manuscripts were gathered together and deposited in the library, which was opened in 1922 by the Supreme Islamic Council in Palestine under the name of “Dar Kutub al-Masjid al-Aqsa”. Another part of the manuscripts derive from the libraries of some of Jerusalem scholars such as Fayd Allah al-‘Alami and the Shaykh Khalil al-Khalidi. The library of Shaykh al-Khalidi includes a collection of manuscript titles that he photographed in the 1930s during his repeated travels to Spain and Morocco and the states of Ottoman Europe. The condition of this collection is good. The last component of the collection of manuscripts is the remains of the manuscripts of Shaykh Muhammad al-Khalili, who died in 1734. This collection reached the library of the Masjid al-Aqsa at the end of the 1970s after having been moved from place to place among the descendents of the Shaykh, which led to many of their pages becoming loose. The condition of this collection is poor to very poor. Not a single copy has been unaffected by worms, to the extent that some of them are no longer usable. This state has resulted from the storage of the library in bags in places that suffer from moisture. Newspapers and Magazines: The collection of newspapers and magazines that the library has goes back to around 1870 at the end of the Ottoman period, up to 1952 around the end of the British Mandate period. There are about 70 titles of newspapers from Palestine and the Arab world and some from European and Asian countries. The number of volumes of each newspaper varies one from the other. Some of them are complete, such as the newspaper of the Arab League, while others have only a few issues, such as the newspaper al-Falah, which was published semi-weekly in Mecca in 1920. The library has about 30 magazine titles from the same time range as the newspapers, including some in English. Half of the newspapers and magazines were published in Palestine, in Jerusalem, Jafa and Haifa. The other half comes from Egypt, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Morocco and Algeria.
General summary of the collection	The topics of the printed books are related to the Islamic religion and its branches, Arabic language and literature, Islamic history and archaeology, while the topics of most of the manuscripts are related to the Islamic religion and its branches and Arabic language and literature along with manuscripts about history, philosophy and astronomy. The manuscripts have been copied onto 35 mm microfilm. The newspapers covered the same topics as today, such as Zionism and colonialism, while the magazines are mostly concerned with history and literature, and include politics.
Groups within each category	Islamic religion and its branches (theology, fiqh, Qur'an and interpretation, hadith and Sufism). This constitutes around 65% of the total collection. Arabic language and literature constitutes around 20%. Astronomy and history constitutes around 15%.
Collection description	The topics of the printed books are related to the Islamic religion and its branches, Arabic language and literature, Islamic history and archaeology, while the topics of most of the manuscripts are related to the Islamic religion and its branches and Arabic language and literature along with manuscripts about history, philosophy and astronomy. The manuscripts have been copied onto 35 mm microfilm. The newspapers covered the same topics as today, such as Zionism and colonialism, while the magazines are mostly concerned with history and literature and include politics.

Name of Archive or Library	Name in Arabic: Maktabat al-'A'ilat al-Budairiyya مكتبة العائلة البديرية Name in English: al-Budairi Family Library
Address	Jersalem, Old City
Tel number	+ 972 (0) 2 628 1694
Fax number	+ 972 (0) 2 628 1694
E-mail
Website
Location	Opposite the door of the Islamic Council.
Hours of operation	Saturday – Thursday, 09:00 – 13:00
Chief archivist or librarian	Ragheb Al-Budairi
Classification system	The manuscript are defined according to subjects in a special library appendix.
Visitors per week or month
Audience	Researchers and students
Physical condition of the collection	The general state of the manuscripts of the Budairi Library is similar to the condition of the manuscripts in the other libraries in the city. About half of the collection is bound and complete, in good condition. A quarter of the collection is in need of rebinding by Islamic experts. The remaining portion is in need of repair, either total or partial. It is necessary to point out that this library, like the others, has scraps (loose scattered pages from manuscripts) that have fallen out of manuscripts, perhaps due to the transport of the books from one place to another or as a result of use. These loose pages require considerable time and expertise to arrange them and return them to their place.
Inquiries answered by e-mail / post	The library answers inquiries by e-mail or post.
Access to resources	The archive or library is open to the public, by appointment. Documents can be photocopied, using the photocopier or scanner available. There is a printed catalog and the library is in the process of compiling a computerized appendix.
Information about the collection	There is printed material that provides an introduction to the collection.
General summary of the collection	The library contains manuscripts, in addition to documents specific to the history of the family and their properties in the Ottoman period. The majority of the manuscripts are related to the different branches of the Islamic religion, followed by the topics of Arabic language and literature, astronomy, logic and history. The 636 manuscripts listed in the catalog have been copied on 35 mm microfilm, but not those that were added later to the collection.
Groups within each category	The manuscripts cover the sciences of the Qur'an, tafsir, usul al-din, fiqh, its principles, and Sufism. The number of titles varies from topic to topic. For example, the books on Sufism are more numerous (approximately 500) than other subjects because the owner was himself a Sufi and he concentrated on acquiring books from Sufism. There are approximately 250 Arabic language and literature titles, 60 titles covering Islamic history and the life of the Prophet, and approximately 100 titles on a range of subjects; including logic, astronomy, arithmetic and medicine.
Collection description	The library includes about a thousand titles of manuscripts, while the catalog that was published in 1984 contains 636 titles. Since a new member of the family took charge of the library two years ago, he has begun to organize and gather the manuscripts scattered among the members of the family. The bulk of these manuscripts are written in Arabic, although there is a limited number written in Ottoman Turkish and Persian. All of the manuscripts date back to the Islamic periods. The oldest copy dates to the year 562/1167. The library also contains dozens of printed books from the 20thcentury, but it is largely comprised of manuscripts. Dozens of documents have been gathered that are connected to the history of the family such as personal papers, diaries and personal correspondence, as well as documents related to the family endowments and properties both in Jerusalem and outside. All of these documents go back to the Ottoman period. There are also a variety of manuscripts that have come from other Jerusalem libraries. This indicates the practice of borrowing manuscripts among libraries, whether for copying or for reading. For example, the Budairi Library has four manuscripts that bear a seal of ownership belonging to the library of the Mufti of Jerusalem. The Budairi Library was established by the Sufi scholar Sheikh Muhammad Ibn Budair, known as Ibn al-Hubaysh (died 1220/1805). He was of North African origin and studied in al-Azhar, where he remained for several decades before coming to Jerusalem. He was buried in the current building of the library that was his house, located next to the west wall of al-Haram al-Sharif. During his life, he wrote a number of literary works. Perhaps the most famous one is his poem celebrating the defeat of Napoleon before the walls of 'Akka 1799.

Name of Archive or Library	Name in Arabic: Maktabat al-Zawiya al-Bukhariyya مكتبة الزاوية البخارية Name in English: Bukhari Zawiya Library
Address	58 al-Alaam Way Jerusalem
Tel number	+ 972 (0) 2 545 9433
Fax number	+ 972 (0) 2 628 0563
E-mail	azizb17@hotmail.com
Website
Location	The library is located beside Via Dolorosa before station, from the southern side the corner is known as al-Azbakiyya (الأزبكية), and al- Bukhariyya (البخارية). It consists of several groups of Al Khalawiyya (الخلوية) and al-Sufiyya (الصوفية) surrounded by a yard from al- Khalawiyya. The yard includes some famous al- Bukhariyya graves.
Hours of operation	08:00 – 18:00
Chief archivist or librarian	Sheikh Abdel Aziz al–Bukhariyya
Classification system	There is no classification system as such, but there is a summary of the collection according to pre-existing records.
Visitors per week or month
Audience	The archive is open to all students and researchers.
Physical condition of the collection
Inquiries answered by e-mail / post	There is no inquiry service by e- mail or post.
Access to resources	The archive is open to the public. Documents can be photocopied or scanned at the library.
Information about the collection	There is neither printed material nor a website providing information about the collection.
General summary of the collection	The library houses approximately 200 manuscripts, with the oldest copy in the collection dating back to the 8th/14th century. Most of the manuscripts are related to Islam and its sciences; as well as Arabic literature, the Arabic language and Sufism. Unfortunately, the collection was not microfilmed, and so examining the manuscripts involves examining the originals by a prior arrangement with the Sheikh of the Zawiya.
Groups within each category	The collection can be divided as follows: 78 jurisprudence and doctorate manuscripts, 5 translation manuscripts, 40 Arabic language and literature manuscripts, 16 science manuscripts and 21 manuscripts of different languages.
Collection description	The collection contains manuscripts written in several languages: Arabic, Azbakiyya and Turkish.

Name of Archive or Library	Name in Arabic: Qism 'ihya' al-Turath al-Haram al-Sharif قسم إحياء التراث الحرم الشريف Name in English: Department of the Revival of Heritage
Address	Islamic Endowments Administration Holy Mosque Jerusalem
Tel number	+ 972 (0) 2 627 6408
Fax number	+ 972 (0) 2 626 2442
E-mail
Website
Location	Beside Bab al-Faisal Old City Jerusalem
Hours of operation	Saturday – Wednesday 08:00 – 15:00
Chief archivist or librarian	Najeh Bukairat
Classification system	The manuscripts are arranged according to subject in a special library appendix, and there is book information printed on cards.
Visitors per week or month	Very few visitors
Audience	Researchers and students looking for the endowments on Jerusalem.
Physical condition of the collection	The departmental archive is comprised of newspapers, documents and numerous publications that date back to the time of the Supreme Islamic Council in Palestine (during the British Mandate). Unfortunately, this collection is in need of reorganization, repair and preservation, in addition to sorting and classifying it in a manner that would facilitate access to the works.
Inquiries answered by e-mail / post	The archive does not answer inquiries by e-mail or post.
Access to resources	The archive is open to the public, and there is no need to make an appointment. Documents can be photocopied, using the photocopier or scanner available. The collection is not cataloged, and so items can only be obtained by searching through the files on the shelves that bear the name of the subject and the year.
Information about the collection	There is printed material that provides an introduction to the collection, but there is no website.
General summary of the collection	The archive contains a number of newspapers that were published in the city of Jerusalem between 1978 and 2004: al-Quds, al-Hayat, al-Ayyam, al-Sha'b, al-Fajr and al-Manar. It also contains newspapers published by Palestinians inside Israel; such as al-Tali‘a, al-Ittihad, and the Israeli English newspaper, The Jerusalem Post. There are also other newspapers and magazines, but they are incomplete. The documents stored in the files cover a variety of subjects. In general, they are the files of the general administration of the waqf between 1982 and 1995. The documents include all the activities connected with the endowments. The files also contain numerous topics, such as accounts of income and expenses, tourism, receipts for water and electricity bills, rents of properties, renovations, properties of the endowments, rentals in the West Bank, files of the Haram guards, Israeli infringements on the Haram, the renovations of the orphanage, issues of education, charitable organizations, lands and taxes of the endowments. In general, the collection has not been studied and light has not been shed on it. It covers the period of the Israeli occupation, and portrays the connection of the ebb and flow between the Awqaf and the occupational authorities, in order to control the Old City and the Haram. The problem with the archive is that it is difficult for the researcher to know what is there and how to access it.
Groups within each category	It is difficult to give details about each topic, but according to the number of containers and shelves, the department has 35 containers (metal shelves) and each container holds 70 files. In total, there are approximately 2,000 files.
Collection description	The collection can be divided into three categories: Newspapers that were published in the West Bank and Jerusalem. Documents and papers of the waqf in Jerusalem, which include the documents of the endowments of the cities and villages of the West Bank: Hebron, Bethlehem, Nablus, Ramallah and Jenin between 1968 and 1993. After the separation of the city of Jerusalem from the West Bank, the papers and files of the endowments of the cities of the West Bank no longer reached Jerusalem. Publications and announcements of the Supreme Islamic Council in Palestine between 1922 and 1948.

Name of Archive or Library	Name in Arabic: Maktabat Fahmi al-Ansari مكتبة فهمي الأنصاري Name in English: Fahmi al-Ansari Library
Address	Fahmi al-Ansari Library Amro Ben al-Aas Street Jerusalem
Tel number	+ 972 (0) 2 628 0616
Fax number	+ 972 (0) 2 627 6149
E-mail
Website
Location	Between Nablus Road and Salah El-Din Street
Hours of operation	Saturday – Friday, 08:00 – 15:00
Chief archivist or librarian	Fahmi Al-Ansari
Classification system	Card system
Visitors per week or month	200 visitors per week
Audience	Students
Physical condition of the collection	The condition of a large part of the collection is good, although a portion is in need of repair -mostly binding. The problem of the library is that it possesses a large collection of newspapers and magazines. Although many of them are incomplete, they are in need of cataloging and photographing. It is also difficult to get hold of a specific issue of a newspaper or magazine due to the overcrowding of the library and the lack of space.
Inquiries answered by e-mail / post	Inquiries by fax only.
Access to resources	The library is open to the public. Documents can be photocopied, using the photocopier and scanner available.
Information about the collection	There is neither printed material nor a website.
General summary of the collection	The number of books and publications in the library is around 30,000. Most of the books deal with literary and religious subjects, with relatively few books covering scientific topics. The number of newspaper titles is approximately 100, while there are hundreds of titles of local, Arab and world magazines. Some of the magazines go back to the 1930s, although the number of complete sets is limited. The importance of the library stems from the lack of public libraries for Arabs in the city.
Groups within each category	There are microfilms of some manuscripts. The printed books deal with Islamic religion, Arabic literature and language, Islamic history and a small number of social topics. There are scattered issues of newspapers from the 1950s, with complete sets of newspapers (especially local ones) from 1967 onwards.
Collection description	The library does not possess any manuscripts. The collection is limited to publications and a miscellaneous collection of microfilmed Arabic documents. The library also has a collection of documents going back to the Second World War recorded in Polish that were purchased from the Dom Polski library in the Convent of the Sisters of Zion (Via Dolorosa) after the library was closed. A second portion of the library consists of books, most of which are in Arabic. About 10% of the collection is in English or French, but is not used by researchers because it dates back to more than 50 years. The collection of foreign books has been gathered from various libraries or they have been given as gifts. However, they are not cataloged and are rarely used by visitors to the library. The third component of the library holdings is the newspapers and magazines.

Name of Archive or Library	Name in Arabic: Maktabat al-Batriyarkiyya al-Armaniyya مكتبة البطريركية الأرمنية Name in English: The Gulbenkian Library of the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem
Address	The Gulbenkian Library Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem Armenian Quarter P.O. Box 14106 Jerusalem, Old City Israel 91141
Tel number	+ 972 (0) 2 628 2331 ext. 222
Fax number	+ 972 (0) 2 628 7862
E-mail	gulbenklib@gmail.com
Website	www.armenian-patriarchate.org
Location	Armenian Patriarchate, Armenian Quarter Digital photo and localization on the map available
Hours of operation	Monday – Friday, 14:00 – 18:00
Chief archivist or librarian	Fr. Norayr Kazazian, Director
Classification system	Dewey Decimal system
Visitors per week or month	25 visitors per month
Audience	The Gulbenkian Library is a private library, holding a unique collection of resources that are available to the Brotherhood of St. James, local and academic communities, and members of the Armenian Diaspora. Access to the resources can also be granted to those living in greater Jerusalem, at the discretion of the Director of the Library. The library collection is of great importance to those interested in Armenian history and philology, Armenian theology and Church history, Ottoman history, Middle Eastern history, and the history of the Holy Land.
Physical condition of the collection	The collection is generally well preserved, although pages of some of the works from the 19th and 20th centuries are prone to disintegration and should be handled with care.
Inquiries answered by e-mail / post	Inquires should be directed to the address and e-mail mentioned above. E-mail inquires are encouraged.
Access to resources	The archive is open to the public. Special arrangements are necessary for readers to do research, or for anyone to use rare materials. Researchers are requested to fill out a short application, describing their research project and institutional affiliation. Documents cannot be photocopied. No photocopier or scanner is available. Currently, there is a card catalog, although the library has plans to convert to an electronic catalog in the future.
Information about the collection	There is a brochure, which gives a brief history of the library and an overview of the collections. Currently, there is no website or electronic catalog of the collection.
General summary of the collection	The Gulbenkian Library houses approximately 90,000 printed books, ranging from the 17th century to the present day. Roughly half of the collection is in the Armenian language, with the other half in European and Semitic languages. For a range of content, see below.
Groups within each category	There are three collections that make up the Gulbenkian Library: the Armenian incunabula (Arm. hnadib), newspapers and journals from the 18th until the early 20th century, and crucial studies in Armeniology. The collection of Armenian incunabula consists of books from 1512 – 1850. During this period, a number of Armenian printing houses were established in Europe and the Middle East; including Livorno, Rome, Amsterdam, Lvov, Istanbul, Jerusalem, Madras, Calcutta, Etchmiadzin, and New Julfa. These centers were of prime importance for the publication and dissemination of thousands of works in Armenian. The library preserves one of the largest collections of these books. The library also contains the third largest collection of Armenian newspapers in the world after the Mekhitarist monastery in Vienna and the National Library in Armenia. The collection is unique and invaluable for the history of the Armenians in the Ottoman Empire, as well as Czarist Russia and elsewhere. It also includes a large number of newspapers in Armeno-Turkish, and an extensive collection of 20th century newspapers from different cities throughout the Republic of Armenia and the Diaspora. In addition, the library represents a rich resource for students of Armenian. Its collection of academic studies (in Armenian and other languages) on Armenian history, religion, language and culture is remarkable.
Collection description	The General Collection (not including periodicals) holds approximately 90,000 volumes, categorized in two groups: Armenian and non-Armenian works. The card catalog of the collection was maintained until the early 1990s. There are over 700 retrospective periodicals, dating from the late 17th to the early 20th century. There are some 3,500 rare books, dating from the mid 15th century to the 19th century.

Name of Archive or Library	Name in Arabic: Markaz Is'af al-Nashashibi مركز إسعاف النشاشيبي Name in English: Is'af al-Nashashibi Library
Address	Arabian Child Building Facing Eastern House Jerusalem
Tel number	+ 972 (0) 2 581 8232
Fax number	+ 972 (0) 2 581 3233
E-mail
Website
Location	al-Sheikh Gatah
Hours of operation	Saturday – Thursday, 08:00 – 15:00
Chief archivist or librarian	Basheer Barakat
Classification system	Special library appendix and card catalog
Visitors per week or month	Around 50-100 visitors per week
Audience	Researchers and students
Physical condition of the collection	The center's collection of manuscripts is one of the most well preserved in Jerusalem, due to it having been owned by the late Ishaq al-Husayni, who knew what a manuscript was, and its importance to the Palestinian heritage. In spite of that, part of the collection is in need of restoration and repair. Some of the manuscripts need to be rebound by Islamic experts. The printed books are in good condition, but in need of a computer catalog like the other libraries in Jerusalem.
Inquiries answered by e-mail / post	The library does not answers inquiries by e-mail or post.
Access to resources	The archive is opened to the public, and there is no need to make an appointment. Documents can be photocopied, using the photocopier and scanner available.
Information about the collection	There is a manuscript appendix, which provides an introduction to the collection by Bashir Barakat, Catalog of Manuscripts of Is'af al-Nashashibi Library (Jerusalem 2002, Vol. 2).
General summary of the collection	The printed books cover the following subjects: Islamic history, Islamic religion, Arabic literature, amongst others. In addition to these books, there is a collection of local newspapers dating back to 1967.
Groups within each category	The topics of the manuscripts can be categorized as follows: 500 titles on Islamic religion and Qur’anic sciences, approximately 140 titles on Arabic language and literature, approximately 60 titles on the sciences, approximately 40 titles on history, and six titles relating to miscellaneous topics.
Collection description	The Is'af al-Nashashibi Center is the name of the mansion in which the Palestinian literary figure, Is'af al-Nashashibi lived. Ownership of the property was transferred officially to the Dar Al-Tifl al-'Arabi Institution, which was founded by late Hind al-Husayni, who after the 1948 war, took care of orphans of Palestinian families. Its current director is Ms. Mahira al-Dajjani. At the beginning of the 1980s, Ishaq al-Husayni worked to establish a center for manuscripts and to locate it in the center. Today it contains several thousand printed books and several hundred manuscripts. Most of the manuscripts originate from the Husayni family. The late Ishaq al-Husayni undertook the collection of the remainder either from the members of the family or from other families of the city. The center owns about 800 titles, with the oldest dating back to the 6th/12th century. The manuscripts are in Arabic, although the library also owns about 30 titles written in Ottoman Turkish and Persian. Half of the manuscript titles, like others in the libraries of Jerusalem, are related to the Islamic religion and its branches of fiqh, hadith, Sufism and the sciences of the Qur'an; while Arabic language and literature forms about a quarter of the total number of the manuscripts. The remaining quarter includes scattered topics, including the manuscripts written in Ottoman Turkish and Persian. The manuscript collection has been copied onto 16 mm microfilm. The microfilms can be used with prior permission from the center’s microfilm reader.

Name of Archive or Library	Name in Arabic: al-Mathaf al-Islami المتحف الإسلامي Name in English: Islamic Museum
Address	Islamic Museum Holy Museum P.O. Box 19004 91190 Jerusalem
Tel number	+ 972 (0) 2 268 5708
Fax number	+ 972 (0) 2 626 2442
E-mail	khader1948@bezeqint.net
Website
Location	al-Haram al-Sharif Old Jerusalem
Hours of operation	Sunday – Thursday, 08:00 – 15:00
Chief archivist or librarian	Khader Salama (Head Curator)
Classification system	Card system
Visitors per week or month	100 – 200 weekly
Audience	Researchers mainly
Physical condition of the collection	The collection is well preserved.
Inquiries answered by e-mail / post	There is no answering by e-mail or post.
Access to resources	The archive is open to the public. No special arrangements are necessary for readers to do research, or for anyone to use rare materials. Documents can be photocopied, using the photocopier and scanner available. There is a manual catalog / card system.
Information about the collection	There is a brochure that gives a brief history of the library and an introduction and overview of the collection.
General summary of the collection	The documents were photographed and microfilmed in the 1980s on ordinary paper, with a catalog of the majority of them published by the German Institute in Beirut. The types of documents include: protocols, inheritance, and witnesses before the judge, court decisions, contracts of ownership, sales and marriage, orders, endowments, fatwa and expenses. Unfortunately, not all of the manuscripts have been photographed yet.
Groups within each category	It is possible to divide the collection of Qur'anic manuscripts into three categories, taking into consideration that all of them are in need of restoration to varying degrees. First, the largest group constitutes 60% of the total and consists of well-preserved manuscripts. The second group is approximately 20% of the collection and is in an average condition, with some traces of worm damage. The remaining group is approximately 20%, and is in need of urgent restoration. The problem with the conservation of the Qur'anic manuscripts is connected with the gilding. All of the manuscripts are gilded to varying degrees. Unfortunately, there is no local expertise in conserving gilded manuscripts. The condition of the manuscripts is because they were kept in the madaras and mosques of the cities of Palestine; such as Jerusalem, Nablus and Hebron and were used by the public. As a result, some of them have lost the first page in particular, which regrettably were replaced at later dates. As for the documents, the bulk of them are in good conditions, although about one hundred of them are in urgent need of restoration.
Collection description	The collection of Qur'an manuscripts is unique in Palestine. It reflects the development of script, gilding and decoration in the various Islamic periods. All of the manuscripts were written in Arabic, except one manuscript from the 8th/14th century, which was written with a Persian translation below the Arabic text. About 10% of the collection was written on parchment, while the rest was written on paper. The documents constitute the largest collection of documents from the early Mamluk period. Most of them were written in Arabic, although 28 documents were written in Persian recording protocols, contracts and decisions. Some of them were written on parchment, while most were written on ordinary paper. The size of the documents varies. The largest ones are two meters long, while the smallest one measures 10 x 10 cm.

Name of Archive or Library	Name in Arabic: Maktabat al-Quds al-Markaziyya مكتبة القدس المركزية Name in English: Jerusalem Central Library
Address	49 Ikhwan Al-Safa Street P.O. Box 67485 Jerusalem 91099
Tel number	+972 (0) 2 628 3503
Fax number	+972 (0) 2 626 1745
E-mail	jer-mizrah-hair@lib-isr.co.il
Website	www.jerusalem.muni.il/jer_main/defaultnew.asp?lng=3
Location	Digital photo and localization on the map wikimapia.org/8311088/EAST-JERUSALEM-CENTRAL-LIBRARY
Hours of operation	Sunday – Thursday, 08:30 – 17:30
Chief archivist or librarian	Ammar Ayoubi ammarayoubi@hotmail.com
Classification system	Dewey Decimal system (computerized by a program called SIFRAT for running public libraries and school libraries in the Israeli Ministry of Education)
Visitors per week or month	4,000 to 5,000 visitors per month
Audience	Teachers, students, researchers and school pupils
Physical condition of the collection	The collection is well preserved.
Inquiries answered by e-mail / post	Please address inquiries to the Chief Librarian by e-mail or post.
Access to resources	The library is open to the public. Documents can be photocopied, using the photocopier and scanner available.
Information about the collection	There is no printed or electronic material available.
General summary of the collection	The library was founded in 1962 and was located in al-Zahra Street (Cinema al-Quds Building, second floor). In 1992, it moved to the new building, which consists of two floors. The first floor hosts the Children’s Library, Adult Library, Circulation, and Reference sections. It also has sections of magazines (in both English and Arabic), as well as newspapers. Finally, it has photocopy machines, a scanner, computers with Internet (that can be used for typing homework or conducting research) and the computerized catalog of the library, which allows you to search by author or title. The second floor contains two classrooms (used for Hebrew courses in the afternoon), a lecture hall (used for multiple purposes including “Story Hour" for children and meetings) and an audio – visual room (containing CDs, videos and audio cassettes for the blind). Most of the collection is in Arabic, and encompasses all fields of knowledge. There is a unique collection of books and old Egyptian magazines (from 70 – 80 years ago) of the late first Israeli Ambassador in Egypt Mr. Elyaho Sasson.
Groups within each category	Librarian will be happy to answer this question by telephone.
Collection description	The collection consists of manuscripts, documents, unique languages of the documents/manuscripts, etc.

Name of Archive or Library	Name in Arabic: al-Maktaba al-Khalidiyya المكتبة الخالدية Name in English: The Khalidi Library
Address	al-Maktaba al-Khalidiyya 116 Bab al-Selsela Road Old City Jerusalem
Tel number	+ 972 (0) 2 628 4546
Fax number	+ 972 (0) 2 626 1299
E-mail	jerusalem@khalidilibrary.org, librarian@khalidilibrary.org
Website	www.khalidilibrary.org
Location	Old City, Jerusalem
Hours of operation	E-mail librarian for opening hours
Chief archivist or librarian	Haifa al-Khalidi
Classification system	Dewey Decimal system
Visitors per week or month
Audience	Researchers
Physical condition of the collection	The collection is well preserved.
Inquiries answered by e-mail / post	Inquiries available by e-mail and post.
Access to resources	The archive or library is open to the public. Documents can be photocopied, using the photocopier and scanner available. There is a manual catalog, and computerized available on the comprehensive website.
Information about the collection	There is an appendix, which has a general introduction to the history of the collection. The appendix of the manuscripts has been disseminated under the supervision of Nazmi al-Jubeh. There is also a catalog of the manuscripts that was published in London by the al-Furqan Foundation for Islamic Heritage in 2006.
General summary of the collection	The collection of the library has been developed over the years by way of gifts, and includes several thousand books written in Arabic, English, French and Turkish. There are a variety of Arabic sources and publications, which date back to the first half of the 20th century. Some of them are difficult for a researcher to use, due to an absence of indexes and old printing. The manuscripts of the Khalidi Library have been photographed on 16 mm and 35 mm microfilm; a copy of which is in the library.
Groups within each category	The subjects of the printed books deal mostly with history and the Islamic religion, with some of the books related to the history of Palestine. The topics of the manuscripts vary. More than half of the manuscripts and printed books (approximately 1,200 titles) deal with the Islamic religion and its branches. Arabic literature and language follow with more than 300 titles, and then manuscripts and treatises on logic and astronomy number 170 titles. The remainder deals with arithmetic, medicine, music, merits and other topics.
Collection description	The Khalidi Library possesses a large collection of manuscripts, numbering more than 2,000 titles. It may be the largest collection of manuscripts that a Palestinian library or family possesses. The manuscripts are written in Arabic, Turkish and Persian, with some of them written on parchment. There are also a number of rare manuscripts that are considered originals, with 112 manuscripts written in the handwriting of the author. There are also dozens of titles that were corrected by the author or whose copying he agreed to, or that were written during his time.

Name of Archive or Library	Name in Arabic: Maktabat al-Jam’iyya al-Filistinyya al-Akadimiyya li l-Shu’un al-Duwaliyya مكتبة الجمعية الفلسطينية الأكاديمية للشؤون الدولية ـ باسيا Name in English: The Library of the Palestinian Academic Society for the Study of International Affairs (PASSIA)
Address	18 Hatem al-Ta'i Street Wadi al-Joz Jerusalem
Tel number	+972 (0) 2 628 2819
Fax number	+972 (0) 2 628 2819
E-mail	passia@passia.org, passia@palnet.com
Website	www.passia.org
Location	Digital photo and localization on the map
Hours of operation	Monday – Thursday and Saturday, 09:00 – 16:30
Chief archivist or librarian	Nathalie Van der Aa Van_der_aa@hotmail.com Mobile +972 (0) 52 596 2647
Classification system	Senayan – both paper and electronic
Visitors per week or month	Variable, but usually few people use the library.
Audience	Anyone who is interested in the Arab-Israeli conflict, the Arab World and its development.
Physical condition of the collection	The collection is well preserved. There are very old books, but also more contemporary works.
Inquiries answered by e-mail / post	The library answers inquiries by e-mail or post.
Access to resources	The library is open to the public.
Information about the collection	There is no material – paper or electronic – that provides an introduction to the collection. Information can be found on the website.
General summary of the collection
Groups within each category
Collection description	The library features a range of material: articles, papers, documents, books and periodicals.

Name of Archive or Library

Name in Arabic: Sijillat al-Mahkama al-Shar'iyya

سجلات المحكمة الشرعية

Name in English: Records of the Shar'iyya Court

Address

al-Nahaweya School
al-Haram al-Sharif
Jerusalem

Tel number

+ 972 (0) 2 628 3507

Fax number

+ 972 (0) 2 628 3994

E-mail

Website

Location

al-Haram al-Sharif

Hours of operation

Saturday to Wednesday, 08:00 – 14:00

Chief archivist or librarian

Mr. Abdel Azeem Salhab (The Highest Islamic Chairperson)

Classification system

There is no classification system as such, but there is a summary of the records.

Visitors per week or month

Audience

Only graduate students and researchers accredited by the Council are permitted to use the library.

Physical condition of the collection

90% of the collection is well preserved.

Inquiries answered by e-mail / post

There is no inquiry service by e- mail or post.

Access to resources

The archive is not open to the public. Researchers should make an appointment to see the collection, and special arrangements must be made for those using rare materials. A photocopier or scanner is available, but documents cannot be photocopied.

Information about the collection

There is neither printed material nor a website that provides an introduction to the collection. However, there is a printed catalog that covers one fourth of the collection.

General summary of the collection

The collection covers all aspects of life in the city of Jerusalem in particular, and more generally, life in Palestine. For example, one can find documents about inheritance, sale of land, rental of shops or ovens, endowments, registration of the population, adultery, prices of bread or other commodities, renovation of property, sale of building stones, marriage, divorce, expenses, directives, sale of books, attacks on the road, advance sale of harvests, renovation of water channels and transportation of water to Jerusalem, amongst others.

The sijillat began in 1528 and continued to the end of the Ottoman period in 1917, with few gaps. The collection has been microfilmed on one hundred rolls of 35 mm film as well as on 16 mm film. Copies of the microfilms can be found in the University of Jordan in Amman, the University of Haifa and a few other places. It is difficult to gain access to the originals, and a specialist is needed to use the microfilms.

The collection:

16th century		82 sijillat
17th century		119 sijillat
18th century		91 sijillat
19th century		221 sijillat
20th century		52 sijillat
Total		565 sijillat

Groups within each category

It is not possible to determine the number of documents on each subject. Classifying this collection will require decades and teams of workers to continue the work on these sijillat.

Collection description

All of the documents are recorded in notebooks called sijillat, which vary in size. The oldest ones are the largest in size, while they decreased slightly in later periods until they reached A4 size at the end of the Ottoman period. Consequently the sijillat are considered equivalent to manuscripts. They are a rare treasure for the history of Palestine and Jerusalem, in particular, consisting of hundreds of thousands of documents that are related to the life of the inhabitants of Palestine. They are recorded in sequence according to date, i.e. according to the submission of the case to the court. They are written in Arabic, except for 27 sijillat that were written in Ottoman Turkish. All of the sijillat were written on the type of paper available in each period, and so the type of paper varies from one period to the next. The documents of the sijillat are written in a number of different hands and so their script varies. Some are easy to read, while others are difficult and need time and experience to gain a correct reading of the document.

WESTERN

Name of Archive or Library	Name in Arabic: Madrasat al-Athar al-Britaniyya – Ma'had Kathleen Kenyon مدرسة الآثار البريطانية ـ معهد كاثلين كنيون Name in English: Council for British Research in the Levant – Kenyon Institute Library
Address	Kenyon Institute 15 Mount of Olives Road P.O. Box 19283 Jerusalem 91192
Tel number	+ 972 (0) 2 582 8101
Fax number	+ 972 (0) 2 532 3844
E-mail	kilibrary@cbrl.org.uk
Website	www.cbrl.org.uk/cbrl_jerusalem.shtm
Location	Digital photo and localization on the map
Hours of operation	Sunday – Thursday, 09:00 – 16:30
Chief archivist or librarian	Chloe Massey
Classification system	Dewey Decimal system (electronic catalog)
Visitors per week or month	Tens weekly
Audience	British and UK-based visiting scholars; other guests of CBRL, local scholars and researchers.
Physical condition of the collection	Mostly well preserved, although some work is needed on maculation and rare books.
Inquiries answered by e-mail / post	The library answers inquiries by e-mail or post.
Access to resources	The library is open to the public. Documents can be photocopied, using the photocopier and scanner available.
Information about the collection	There is no printed material available, the online catalog can be accessed at: www.cbrl.org.uk/cbrl_jerusalem.shtm
General summary of the collection	The collection comprises of books, documents, periodicals, photographs and microfilms. There are about 10,000 volumes of books, mainly on the archaeology of the Levant; specializing in later periods (70CE to the present), notably Byzantine, Crusader and Islamic periods’ art and architecture; Jerusalem, and Palestine. Most of the books are in English, but the library has a small Arabic collection and a few texts in Hebrew, French, German and other languages. The library also holds approximately 4,000 journals on archaeology. There is also a collection of around 1,000 maps, mainly of Israel-Palestine, which are in the process of being scanned.
Groups within each category	Online catalog at: www.cbrl.org.uk/cbrl_jerusalem.shtm
Collection description	Online catalog at: www.cbrl.org.uk/cbrl_jerusalem.shtm

Name of Archive or Library	Name in Arabic: Ma'had al-Athar al-Faransi معهد الآثار الفرنسي Name in French: École Biblique et Archéologique Française de Jérusalem
Address	6 Nablus Road P.O. Box 19053 Jerusalem
Tel number	+ 972 (0) 2 626 4468
Fax number	+ 972 (0) 2 628 2567
E-mail	biblio@ebaf.edu
Website	ebaf.op.org
Location
Hours of operation	Monday – Friday, 09:00 to 16:00 and Saturday 09:00 to 12:00; closed Sundays and Feast days.
Chief archivist or librarian	Pawel Trzopek
Classification system	There is an electronic catalog and a print catalog.
Visitors per week or month	Approximately 50 visitors per week.
Audience	Historians and Biblicists
Physical condition of the collection	The collection is well preserved.
Inquiries answered by e-mail / post	The library answers inquiries by e-mail or post.
Access to resources	The library is open to the public. Documents can be photocopied, using the photocopier and scanner available.
Information about the collection
General summary of the collection	A collection of books and journals for research purposes, particularly Biblical research.
Groups within each category
Collection description	A collection of works on the Bible and the Archaeology of the Ancient Near East.

Name of Archive or Library	Name in Arabic: Al-Ma'had al-Brotestanti al-Almani al-Athar fi al-Aradi al-Muqadasa المعهد البروتستانتي الألماني للآثار في الراضي المقدسة Name in English: German Protestant Institute for Archaeology in the Holy Land
Address	Augusta Victoria Compound P.O. Box 18463 91184 Jerusalem
Tel number	+ 972 (0) 2 628 4792
Fax number	+ 972 (0) 2 328 7388
E-mail	dei_ger@netvision.net.il
Website	www.deiahl.de
Location	Mount of Olives Augusta Victoria Hospital Compound
Hours of operation
Chief archivist or librarian	Barbara Herfurth
Classification system	Electronic classification system
Visitors per week or month	Between 1 and 20 per week
Audience	Archaeologists, theologians and historians
Physical condition of the collection	The collection is well preserved.
Inquiries answered by e-mail / post	The library answers inquiries by e-mail or post.
Access to resources	The archive or library is opened to the public. Documents can be photocopied, using the photocopier and scanner available. There is an online catalog: opac.dei-jerusalem.de
Information about the collection	There is electronic material that provides an introduction to the collection on the website: www.deiahl.de/en/institute_jerusalem/library
General summary of the collection	Lists are available for download on: www.deiahl.de/en/institute_jerusalem/library
Groups within each category	www.deiahl.de/en/institute_jerusalem/library
Collection description	The collection is comprised of parts of the archive of Gustaf Dalman and Hugo Gressman, as well as parts of the private library of Conrad Schick and the former library of the Prussian (later German) General Consulate in Jerusalem. The collection covers the fields of theology, archaeology and Biblical archaeology. There is also a map collection.

Name of Archive or Library	Name in Arabic: Maktabat Kulliyyat Sant Georg مكتبة كلية القديس جورج ـ القدس Name in English: St. George's College Jerusalem
Address	P. O. Box 91000 JERUSALEM
Tel number	+ 972 (0) 2 626 4704
Fax number	+ 972 (0) 2 626 4703
E-mail	librarian@stgeorges.org.il
Website	www.sgchjerusalem.org
Location	31, Salah El-Din Street
Hours of operation	Monday-Thursday, 09:00 – 14:00 Visiting the museum is by request only. Please call or e-mail the librarian for an appointment.
Chief archivist or librarian	Simone Qumri
Classification system	Library of Congress system
Visitors per week or month	Only course members may access the library.
Audience	Students from many different countries (including the USA, Australia, Britain and New Zealand) attend courses and study the Bible, archaeology, and the history of Judaism and Islam. It is a resource for course members, as well as for specific research.
Physical condition of the collection	The collection is well preserved.
Inquiries answered by e-mail / post	Inquiries answered by e-mail.
Access to resources	The archive or library is not open to the public. Special arrangements are possible through e-mail or by telephone. Documents can be photocopied or scanned by the librarian, using the photocopier available. An online catalog is available.
Information about the collection	There are no printed materials that provide an introduction to the collection. However, there is a website for the collection, which can be accessed through the St. George’s College library search engine.
General summary of the collection	The library is situated across two floors, and houses a collection of almost 21,000 books and 40 periodicals, some of which date back to the early 19th century.
Groups within each category	The library collection includes Religion (Judaism, Christianity and Islam), Church History, Political Science, Archaeology, Palestine, Biblical Studies and Theology. In addition, the college is home to the Benshoof Museum – a collection of archaeological artifacts from the ancient biblical site of Dothan.

Name of Archive or Library	Name in Arabic: Ma'had al-Athar al-Amriki معهد الآثار الأمريكي Name in English: W.F. Albright Institute of Archaeological Research – Albright Institute Library
Address	26 Salah El-Din Street P.O. Box 19096 Jerusalem 91190
Tel number	+ 972 (0) 2 626 1058
Fax number	+ 972 (0) 2 626 4424
E-mail	library@albright.org.il
Website	www.aiar.org
Location	www.aiar.org/index.html or www.aiar.org/library.html GPS Coordinates: 31°47'10.72 N, 35°13'52.40 E
Hours of operation	Sunday – Thursday, 10:00 – 15:00
Chief archivist or librarian	Sarah Sussman, Head Librarian
Classification system	Library of Congress system. There is an electronic, as well as a card catalog.
Visitors per week or month	Up to 30 residential fellows, and another 20 – 30 regular associate fellows.
Audience	Doctoral and post-doctoral residential fellows and scholars from all over the world, including Israeli and Palestinian academics, who specialize in Near Eastern studies from prehistory through the early Islamic period; including the fields of archaeology, anthropology, art history, Bible, epigraphy, historical geography, history, language, literature, philology and religion and related disciplines.
Physical condition of the collection	75% of the collection is in good condition, 20% is in a fragile condition and 5% is unusable. The preservation issues include flooding of the basement level in the winter, no water detection alarms, no fire detectors or sprinklers on both levels and a lack of funding for professional restoration of old material.
Inquiries answered by e-mail / post	The library prefers to answer inquiries by e-mail, but postal enquires are also accepted.
Access to resources	The library is open to institute employees and members by appointment. Documents can be photocopied, using the photocopier and scanner available.
Information about the collection	The following link provides an introduction to the collection: www.aiar.org/library.html. Information can also be found on the website: www.aiar.org:81/opac.htm
General summary of the collection	The library houses thousands of archival items spanning from the 17th century to the present. The collection includes: 15,000 monographs, 700 journals, 150 maps, 3,000 offprints, 90 titles on microfiche, 5,000 slides, 43 sound recordings and 10 CDs.
Groups within each category
Collection description	The library contains more than 28,000 monographs and journal volumes, relating to all aspects of ancient Near Eastern Studies. It specializes on Syro-Palestinian archaeology, mainly of the Bronze and Iron Ages, Biblical Studies, and ancient Semitic languages and literature. There are also extensive collections of maps, microfiches, offprints and slides covering the same subjects. There is also a cross-indexed catalog for the 6,720 items in the Institute’s artifact collection. The various collections span from the 17th century to the present, and cover a wide range of languages and scripts from English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Hungarian, Swedish, Greek, Turkish, Russian, and Japanese, to Hebrew, Arabic, Aramaic and Coptic. In 1926 the library inherited part of Prof. Morris Jastrow's library, which was integrated into the general collection. The library also has his collection of bound journal articles (1861-1921) organized by him according to subjects. Many of the articles are marked with his handwritten notes. Other scholars' personal collections donated to the Albright include those of Edmund I. Gordon in 1979, Douglas E. Esse in 1993, and others. The Albright library has an impressive collection of Ph.D.s in Hebrew. It also holds early journals that may be unique in the Holy Land. There are thousands of archival items, such as several private collections of well-known deceased scholars, field reports, maps, plans, photographs, glass and celluloid negatives covering major excavations in Palestine and Israel. The negatives depict excavations from the 1930s to 14 seasons of Tel Miqne excavations in the late 20th century. There are also 200 boxes of institutional archives of the American School of Oriental Research and of the Albright Institute.

ISRAELI

Name of Archive or Library	Name in English: The Central Zionist Archives (CZA)
Address	4 Zalman Shazar P.O. Box 92 Jerusalem 91000
Tel number	+972 (0) 2 620 4800
Fax number	+972 (0) 2 620 4837
E-mail	cza@wzo.org.il
Website	www.zionistarchives.org.il/ZA/pMainE.aspx
Location	World Zionist Organization
Hours of operation
Chief archivist or librarian	Batia Lesham or Simone Schliachter
Classification system
Visitors per week or month
Audience
Physical condition of the collection
Inquiries answered by e-mail / post	E-mail Batia Leshem of Institutional Archives (batial@wzo.org.il) or Simone Schliachter of Personal Archives (simones@wzo.org.il).
Access to resources	The archives are open to the public. Photocopying services are available, and provided at no cost.
Information about the collection	The CZA aims to collect, preserve and encourage the use of the archives of the World Zionist Organization, the Jewish Agency, the Jewish National Fund and Keren Hayesod, as well as the archives of the World Jewish Congress and various other bodies. The CZA also holds the private papers of individuals active in the Zionist movement and in the development of Palestine and Israel. In addition, the CZA houses over half a million photographs, 50,000 maps and plans, over 18,000 posters and announcements, a large collection of ephemera, 13,000 newspapers and periodicals, a library and a microfilm collection. Along with the Hebrew University, the CZA also runs the Steven Spielberg Jewish Film Archive, which houses over 3,000 film and video titles.

Name of Archive or Library	Name in English: Israel State Archives
Address	Prime Minister’s Office Qiryat Ben-Gurion Jerusalem 91950
Tel number	+ 972 (0) 2 568 0662
Fax number	+ 972 (0) 2 568 0670
E-mail	research@archives.gov.il
Website	www.archives.gov.il
Location	Address for Visitors Only (The Reading Room) 35 Makor Haim Street, Talpiot, Jerusalem
Hours of operation	Sunday – Thursday, 08:00 – 16:00
Chief archivist or librarian	Ms. Ruti Avramovitz 02-5680680 extension 0 ruti@archives.gov.il
Classification system
Visitors per week or month
Audience	General, undergraduate, graduate, doctoral, staff researches; as well as government ministries, television and movie crews
Physical condition of the collection	The collection is well preserved.
Inquiries answered by e-mail / post	An electronic form is the preferred method of contact. Please access: www.archives.gov.il/ArchiveGov_Eng/contactUs.htm
Access to resources	The library is open to the public.
Information about the collection	Most of the post-1948 material is in Hebrew but a considerable portion of the earlier material, and some of the documents from the earlier years of Israel, are in English and other foreign languages.
General summary of the collection	The Israel State Archives currently holds some 40 km of shelf space of valuable records of the institutions of the State of Israel and of previous administrations in Palestine – from the Ottoman period (material from 1838 to 1918) and the British Mandatory period (1918–1948) – as well as collections originating with institutions of the Arab community in Palestine during these periods. The Israel State Archives contains, inter alia, documents, maps, postage stamps, official publications of the various government ministries, the Knesset, Israel's parliament, and the President's Residence; stenographic records of government meetings from 1948 onwards; minutes of Knesset Committee sessions; records of governmental commissions of enquiry and legal documentation, including records of the High Court of Justice and land registry records. In addition, the Israel State Archives holds many private archives of institutions and people of importance in the history of Palestine and Israel. It also houses a variety of audio-visual records, including films documenting events from the time of the British Mandate onwards, such as the trial of Adolf Eichmann; audio recordings and video tapes with testimonies of central figures in Israel; audio recordings of speeches, Knesset sessions, ceremonies and many other events; as well as a collection of some 100,000 photographs.

Name of Archive or Library	Name in English: Truman Institute Library and Documentation Center
Address	Hebrew University Mount Scopus Jerusalem 91905
Tel number	+ 972 (0) 2 588 2300
Fax number	+ 972 (0) 2 582 8076
E-mail	sheilaj@savion.huji.ac.il
Website	truman.huji.ac.il/library.asp
Location	Hebrew University Mount Scopus Campus
Hours of operation	Sunday – Thursday, 10:00 – 15:00
Chief archivist or librarian	Sheila Joel
Classification system	ExLibris Aleph 500 computerized catalog system
Visitors per week or month
Audience	The library attracts graduate, doctoral and post-doctoral researchers from around the world. Many of the Truman Institute's visiting scholars come specifically to use the library's excellent resources.
Physical condition of the collection	The collection is well preserved.
Inquiries answered by e-mail / post	Contact the librarian by e-mail, or by telephone on +972 (0) 2 588 2313.
Access to resources	The library is open to the public. A photocopying service is available, and users can access computers, microform readers and printers. Many of the library's resources are available via the internet.
Information about the collection	For more information on the library, please access the website.
General summary of the collection	Its collections focus on the regions of the non-Western world – Africa, Latin America, Asia, and the Middle East – the latter two regions in particular. It houses more than 1,500 periodicals – journals, daily newspapers, yearbooks, and governmental, organizational, banking, and other statistical data. The library subscribes to the World News Connection (formerly Foreign Broadcasts Information Service), a translation to English of non-US worldwide media sources. Most articles in the periodicals received by the Truman Institute's library are indexed and entered in the online database that is part of the computerized catalog which can be accessed via the Internet. Truman collections are now part of the general catalog of the Hebrew University libraries.
Groups within each category
Collection description	The library subscribes to publications that deal specifically with the areas of interest to the Institute, among them, Jordan and the Palestinian Authority (PA). A renowned and major collection of material about and by the Palestinians, mainly in Arabic and English, is maintained. This material includes publications by other research institutes in Jerusalem and the West Bank, current dailies and weeklies from Jerusalem and the PA, and a large collection of books in Arabic on the Arab-Israeli conflict. An ever-growing collection of Arabic newspapers is being cataloged. Palestinian interest in the library's material is particularly notable. There is also a special collection of Arab textbooks from Jordan, Egypt, Syria, Lebanon and Iraq from the 1970's that constitutes an exceptional source for researchers. Amnon Ben-Arieh is the library's Middle East specialist and responsible for material in Arabic. Additional resources include the Salomon Collection of about 2,500 books on war and peace, an important source for the period leading to World War I, its aftermath and the period between the two world wars; an extensive collection of development plans from developing countries in print and microform and reports on developing countries by Israeli technical assistance experts.

Name of Archive or Library	Name in English: Yad Izhak Ben-Zvi Library
Address	Abravanel Street 12, Rehavia P.O. Box 7660 Jerusalem 91076
Tel number	+972 (0) 2 539 8811
Fax number	+972 (0) 2 539 8810
E-mail	library@ybz.org.il
Website	www.ybz.org.il
Location	Yad Izhak Ben-Zvi Institute
Hours of operation
Chief archivist or librarian	Moti Ben-Ari

Name of Archive or Library	Name in English: Mount Scopus Bloomfield Library for Humanities and Social Sciences
Address	Hebrew University Mount Scopus Jerusalem 91905
Tel number	+972 (0) 2 588 3397
Fax number	+972 (0) 2 532 2435
E-mail	Please access the website departmental listing for the appropriate contact details.
Website	www.mslib.huji.ac.il
Location
Hours of operation	Sunday – Wednesday, 09:00 – 22:00; Thursday, 09:00 – 19:00
Chief archivist or librarian	Naomi Alshech
Classification system	ExLibris Aleph 500 computerized catalog system
Visitors per week or month
Audience	General, undergraduate, graduate, doctoral and post-doctoral researchers
Physical condition of the collection	95% of the catalog is well preserved. 5% requires evaluation and permission for use.
Inquiries answered by e-mail / post	The library welcomes inquiries by e-mail or telephone. Please access the website departmental listing for the appropriate contact details.
Access to resources	The library is open to the public. Computers, microform readers, photocopiers, printers and scanners are available to users. There is a comprehensive website for the library, which includes online library catalogs and contact details for the departments within the library. The 'How Do I…' section is particularly useful for first-time users of the library, and includes instructions for finding documents.
Information about the collection	The collection consists of documents in English, Hebrew, Arabic, West and East European languages, etc.
General summary of the collection	The library holds over 570,000 cataloged titles, including: 971,490 volumes on shelves, 11,100 periodical titles, 1,000 print journal subscriptions, 30,000 electronic journal subscriptions, over 4,400 e-books, 6,372 DVD and videocassettes, 16,662 phonograph records and CDs, 132 electronic databases, 500 titles on microfilm or microfiche, 70,000 maps.