Iraqi National Library and Archive

Iraqi National Library and Archive
Name	Iraqi National Library and Archive
Native name	دار الكتب والوثائق العراقية
Established	1920s
Location	Baghdad, Iraq
Type	National library and archive
Collection size	hundreds of thousands (est.)
Director	(various)

Iraqi National Library and Archive is the central repository for Iraq's documentary heritage, legal records, and national bibliography, serving as a hub for preservation, research, and cultural memory. Located in Baghdad, the institution has intersected with major regional events such as the Anglo-Iraqi Treaty of 1930, the 1958 Iraqi coup d'état, the Iran–Iraq War, and the 2003 invasion of Iraq, affecting its holdings and operations.

History

The institution's origins trace to the Ottoman-era provincial records and the emergence of modern Iraqi institutions after the Kingdom of Iraq formation under Faisal I of Iraq. During the British Mandate for Mesopotamia period and the interwar era, Iraqi cultural policy under figures associated with the Ministry of Interior (Iraq) and the Ministry of Culture (Iraq) promoted library development in parallel with projects like the Baghdad Archaeological Museum and the Iraqi Academy of Sciences. Through the reign of Ghazi of Iraq and the administration of Nuri al-Said, the repository expanded its legal and historical archives, acquiring materials related to the Treaty of Sèvres aftermath and regional diplomacy involving Mustafa Kemal Atatürk and the League of Nations.

In the republican era after the 14 July Revolution, the archive collected documentation tied to the Ba'ath Party era, including records connected to leaders such as Ahmed Hassan al-Bakr and Saddam Hussein. During the Gulf War (1990–1991), the institution faced resource constraints while contemporary cultural actors like the Iraqi Artists Society and scholars from the University of Baghdad continued documentation efforts. Post-2003, reconstruction and international cooperation involved entities such as the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization and partnerships with institutions including the Library of Congress, the British Library, and the Bibliothèque nationale de France.

Collections and Holdings

The collections comprise manuscripts, rare books, government records, maps, photographs, newspapers, and audiovisual materials relevant to Mesopotamia, Assyria, Babylonia, and modern Iraqi history. Among holdings are Ottoman-era registers linked to the Sublime Porte, British mandate correspondence reflecting contacts with the Anglo-Iraqi Treaty of 1930 authorities, and Ba'athist administrative papers touching on policy under Izzat Ibrahim al-Douri. The manuscript collection includes Arabic, Ottoman Turkish, Syriac, Kurdish, and Persian texts tied to figures such as Al-Mutanabbi, Ibn al-Nadim, Al-Kindi, and medieval legal treatises that intersect with the legacy of the Abbasid Caliphate and the House of Wisdom.

The newspaper archives preserve copies of titles like Al-Zaman, Sada al-Iraq, and colonial-era periodicals addressing events such as the 1920 Iraqi Revolt and the Anglo-Iraqi War (1941). Cartographic holdings document maps produced by the Royal Geographical Society and the British Army during mandates and campaigns. Photographic collections include images from archaeologists associated with the Iraqi Directorate General of Antiquities and international excavations by teams linked to the University of Chicago and the British Museum.

Buildings and Facilities

The main complex in central Baghdad historically housed reading rooms, conservation labs, and archival stacks; its location placed it near institutions such as the Iraqi National Museum and the Republican Palace. Architectural phases reflect influence from mandates-era public buildings and later expansions during the 1970s in Iraq modernization programs overseen by ministries including the Ministry of Culture (Iraq). Facilities once included climate-controlled conservation units inspired by standards promoted by the International Council on Archives and training collaborations with the United States Agency for International Development.

Satellite branches and regional depositories served provinces like Basra, Mosul, and Erbil, interacting with local centers such as the University of Mosul libraries and the Soran University collections, while cooperative networks involved the Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization.

Damage, Looting, and Reconstruction

The repository suffered catastrophic losses and damage during the 2003 invasion of Iraq when looting and fires affected cultural institutions across Baghdad. Items were destroyed or dispersed alongside incidents at the Iraqi National Museum and archaeological sites like Ur and Nimrud. Subsequent security operations by Multinational Force in Iraq and Iraqi security forces retrieved some items, while legal actions and provenance research invoked international instruments such as the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict.

Reconstruction efforts involved cataloging salvaged materials, conservation campaigns supported by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, and digitization initiatives in partnership with the Library of Congress, the British Library, and non-governmental organizations like the International Committee of the Red Cross. Scholarly projects at institutions such as the School of Oriental and African Studies and the Max Planck Institute assisted in reconstruction of catalogues and restoration of manuscripts.

Administration and Services

Governance historically aligned with ministries including the Ministry of Culture (Iraq) and, at times, the Presidency of the Council of Ministers (Iraq). Directors and staff included archivists and librarians trained in programs at the University of Baghdad, the American University of Beirut, and through fellowships funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and the Ford Foundation. Services have included reference assistance, legal deposit functions tied to Iraqi publication laws, interlibrary loan arrangements with the National Library and Archives of Iran and the Bibliothèque nationale de France, and outreach to researchers from the University of Oxford, Harvard University, and Columbia University.

Conservation units implement preservation techniques promoted by the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions and archival standards of the International Council on Archives, while digitization projects follow metadata practices used by the Digital Public Library of America partner institutions.

Cultural Significance and Outreach

As custodian of Iraq's documentary memory, the institution anchors narratives about Mesopotamian civilizations, modern nationalist movements like the 1920 Iraqi Revolt, and intellectual figures such as Taha Hussein and Muhammad Fadhel al-Jamali. Exhibitions have highlighted manuscripts linked to the Abbasid Caliphate and artifacts documenting the Assyrian and Sumerian legacies, cooperating with museums including the British Museum and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Educational programs have engaged schools, universities, and diaspora communities in London, Amman, and Washington, D.C., while international collaborations foster training in conservation, archival science, and digital humanities with partners such as the Getty Conservation Institute and the International Council on Archives.

Category:Libraries in Iraq Category:National archives