Archives and Libraries of Jerusalem
| Name of Archive or Library | Name in Arabic: Maktabat al-Masjid al-Aqsaمكتبة المسجد الأقصىName 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 |
| [email protected] | |
| 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-Budairiyyaمكتبة العائلة البديريةName in English: al-Budairi Family Library |
| Address | Jersalem, Old City |
| Tel number | + 972 (0) 2 628 1694 |
| Fax number | + 972 (0) 2 628 1694 |
| 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-Bukhariyyaمكتبة الزاوية البخاريةName 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 |
| [email protected] | |
| 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-Sharifقسم إحياء التراث الحرم الشريفName 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 |
| 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-Ansariمكتبة فهمي الأنصاريName 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 |
| 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-Armaniyyaمكتبة البطريركية الأرمنيةName 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 |
| [email protected] | |
| 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-Nashashibiمركز إسعاف النشاشيبيName 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 |
| 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-Islamiالمتحف الإسلاميName 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 |
| [email protected] | |
| 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-Markaziyyaمكتبة القدس المركزيةName 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 |
| [email protected] | |
| 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 [email protected] |
| 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-Khalidiyyaالمكتبة الخالديةName 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 |
| [email protected], [email protected] | |
| 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-Duwaliyyaمكتبة الجمعية الفلسطينية الأكاديمية للشؤون الدولية ـ باسياName 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 |
| [email protected], [email protected] | |
| 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 [email protected] 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’iyyaسجلات المحكمة الشرعيةName 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 |
| 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 sijillat17th century 119 sijillat18th century 91 sijillat19th century 221 sijillat20th century 52 sijillatTotal 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. |