Directory Information Library: The National Library of Egypt Address: Kornish El-Nil St., Bula1q, Cairo Contact: Telephone: (02) 900232 Fax: Http: http://www.library.idsc.gov.eg/ *(Egyptian Library Network) E-mail:

History & Collections


The National Library of Egypt, one of the oldest libraries in the Middle East, was founded on the basis of recommendations by Ali Pasha Mubarak, the manager of schools and a prominent figure among the intelligentsia at the time of Khedive Ismael (1897 A.D./863 H.), who was greatly interested in the protection of manuscripts and superb and rare books against damage and theft.

Handwritten books and the Koran (al-Qur'an) formed the first nucleus of the National Library's collections gathered from mosques, shrines, educational institutions, bookcases of Wakfs (endowments), and government offices. In addition, valuable private libraries containing personally owned manuscripts were donated to the National Library.

As per Khedive Ismael's Royal Decree, the Khedive kutub-Khana-the Turkishname of the Khedive National Library, was established in Cairo City in 1870, and was known as such under Khedive Abbas If (1892-1914); it was renamed Dar-el-kutub al-Khedawaiya-an Arabic name, and under Sultan Hussein Kamel it became the Sultanate National Library. Under King Fouad (1917-1939), it was named The National Library of Egypt and was known as such until the rising of the Revolution of July 26,1952.

The National Library contains the largest collections of rare books, manuscripts, and publications in the Arab world, with a capacity of five (5) million volumes, special and public reading rooms can accommodate 2,000 readers, and the latest mode of storage and retrieval information systems, of which has contributed to the National Library's local and international reputation.

Dar-el-kutub was first established at the end of the nineteenth century at Darb-al-Jamameiz in Mustafa Fadel's palace. In 1870, it was moved to Bab-el-Khalq Square and finally, in 1970 to the Egyptian Book Organization's present premises on the Nile Cornishe.
In Zul-Hi's 5th 1286 H. (1870), a Royal Decree relating to the administration of the National Library (Khedive Kutub-khana) took effect, which provided for its holdings of 30,000 volumes, preservation and maintenance thereof, and the nomination of its governing board, consisting of a manager, submanager, and four librarians, responsible for preparing and making the collection accessible to the intended public. In Jamadi 1 1287 H. a law was sanctioned to organize the work in the National Library, with duties and assignments undertaken as follows:

1. Arabic and foreign books, including maps and geographic collections
2. Machinery drawings
3. Apparatus, chemical, and engineering machines

In 1306 H. (April 30,1889), another Royal Decree was issued by Khedive Tawfeik, which transformed the library into a corporate body with an endowment that satisfactory supported most of its needs. On December 17, 1899 an important regulation relating to the operating procedures in the Kutub-khana -Khedawaiya was issued, but it did not take effect until 1900. This regulation determined the operating hours of the reading rooms, defined the division of work, and established regulations which prohibited readers from smoking, eating, or drinking inside the reading rooms, copying books using transparent sheets, or defacing the pages of any book.

On April 13, 1911, a draft law was passed to effect reorganization of the National Library on a technical and administrative basis. This law designated that specific sections be set aside for Turkish and Persian writings, as well as a section for foreign language printed books, particularly those publications written about Egypt and the Arab civilization, irrespective of dates of publications. This draft law was also concerned with the formation of a more developed Higher Council, meetings of which were to be held in the National Library chaired by the Minister of Education, rather than the Council of Managers constituted in 987 H.

Relevant regulations were issued on June 1, 1938 to refine the duties and procedures of the Library including:
1. Consolidation of relations between the National Library and regional libraries by providing the latter with books and cooperating in the diffusion of culture
2. Determination of the responsibilities of the Director General
3. Determination of the collections of the National Library
4. Determination of storage for the manuscripts
5. Distribution of work in the National Library as follows:
   
   • Library staff section responsible for the collection and delivery of books for technical processing
   • Acquisition section
   • Cataloging section
   • Reading rooms
   • Lending section
   • Literary section
   • The press responsible for carrying out all relevant missions relating to printing and bindery of the stock

After the failure of the above to achieve the desired goals, law No.183 was enacted on April 26, 1956, to designate the National Library as a legal entity with an independent budget determined by the Higher Council and administered by a general director, whose nomination is sanctioned only by a decision of the Council of Ministers.

In 1963, the National Library of Egypt was approved under law No.61 and was relocated to Bab-el-khalq Square in Cairo. Since then the National Library of Egypt has undertaken the following tasks:
1. To collect the national cultural production whether printed or handwritten, and to preserve it for future generations, as well as to prepare and publish national bibliographies
2. To collect all publications issued by State Authorities
3. To collect and make available all studies and research about Egypt whether in books or periodicals, published outside the country
4. To select and make available the most suitable works of international repute in the domains of science, arts, and literature
5. To collect examples of the Arab and Islamic heritage, whether originals or photographs, and to make these available for study, verification, and publication by scholars
6. To collect union catalogs, and to operate as a national information center, rendering services for useful scientific research in all specialized branches of knowledge.

These six objectives mainly define the mission of the National Library of Egypt through its General Departments.

Presidential Decree No.2826 of 1971 established the General Egyptian Book Organization to include the following three major sectors:
1. National Library of Egypt and National Archives
2. Publication Sector and Research Centres
3. Administrative Economic Sector; including the Printing Office
   

Statistics:

Egyptian Music Library (deposit library for records made in Egypt), Art Library, National Centre for Exchanges, National Centre for Bibliographic Services, 22 branch libraries. 2,5 mio vols; 6000 curr per: 64000 mss, 27000 sound rec: 3000 papyrus; library loan: IFLA

Sources:

Abdul-Reheim, Olfat. "Egypt, The National Library of", Encyclopedia of, Library and Information Science, 45 (10)125:128 (1990)
Map Credits