National Library of Jordan

National Library of Jordan
Name	National Library of Jordan
Country	Jordan
Established	1977
Location	Amman
Items collected	books, manuscripts, newspapers, photographs, maps, audiovisual
Collection size	est. 300,000+ items

National Library of Jordan The National Library of Jordan is the principal legal deposit and preservation institution in Amman, charged with collecting, preserving, and providing access to Jordanian and regional published heritage. It serves researchers, students, and the public, linking cultural programs with archival initiatives across the Levant. The institution interacts with libraries and archives such as the British Library, Bibliothèque nationale de France, Library of Congress, Biblioteca Nacional de España, and regional bodies like Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization and UNESCO.

History

The Library originated from mid-20th century efforts to centralize collections in the Hashemite Kingdom following independence and the administrative reforms of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. Early antecedents included municipal collections associated with the City of Amman and the University of Jordan library system established in the 1960s. Formal establishment coincided with cultural policies influenced by figures and institutions such as King Hussein, Ministry of Culture (Jordan), American Center for Oriental Research, and collaborations with the British Council and Fulbright Program. Over subsequent decades the Library navigated regional crises including the aftermath of the Six-Day War, the Yom Kippur War, and the refugee inflows after the Gulf War (1990–1991), adapting collection strategies used by the National Library of Egypt and the National Library of Israel.

Collections and Holdings

Holdings encompass printed works, rare manuscripts, archival papers, maps, newspapers, periodicals, sound recordings, and photographs. The manuscript corpus contains Islamic codices comparable in scope to collections at the Topkapi Palace Museum, Suleymaniye Library, and items cataloged with standards from the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions. Newspapers and periodicals include runs similar to those in the Al-Ra'i (newspaper), Al-Dustour (Jordanian newspaper), and regional titles like Al-Hayat, An-Nahar, and Al-Quds. The map and cartographic collection references materials akin to holdings in the Royal Geographical Society and the Palestine Exploration Fund. Special collections feature donations from personalities and institutions such as King Abdullah II, the House of Hashim, the Hashemite Fund for Development, and academics affiliated with the University of Jordan and Yarmouk University.

Services and Public Programs

Public programs include exhibitions, reference services, interlibrary loan partnerships with the National Library of China, digitization outreach modeled on projects by the Digital Public Library of America, and literacy initiatives resembling campaigns by UNICEF and Save the Children. Educational activities align with curricula from the Ministry of Education (Jordan) and collaborate with cultural festivals like the Jerash Festival for Culture and Arts and the Amman International Book Fair. Professional services for scholars echo protocols used by the American Library Association and training programs linked to IFLA and the International Council on Archives.

Facilities and Architecture

Located in Amman near cultural nodes including the Roman Theatre (Amman), the Library's facilities were developed in phases influenced by architectural practices seen in buildings like the National Library of Scotland and the Bibliotheca Alexandrina. Reading rooms, conservation laboratories, and digitization suites incorporate environmental controls comparable to standards at the Smithsonian Institution and the National Archives and Records Administration. Exhibition halls host artifacts and collaborative displays with museums such as the Jordan Museum and the Palestine Museum.

Administration and Governance

Governance involves oversight by national cultural authorities, advisory boards, and partnerships with higher-education institutions including the University of Jordan and Hashemite University. Administrative frameworks reference legal instruments and practices similar to those under the WIPO recommendations and international copyright norms like the Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works. Staffing and professional development draw on networks including the Arab Federation for Libraries and Information, the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions, and bilateral training from the British Library.

Digitization and Preservation

Digitization programs follow protocols promoted by UNESCO and technical frameworks comparable to the Europeana and the Digital Public Library of America. Preservation efforts employ conservation techniques used at the British Library and the National Library of France, focusing on paper stabilization, digital repositories, metadata standards such as Dublin Core, and cataloging aligned with MARC 21 and RDA (Resource Description and Access). Collaborative projects have been undertaken with technology partners similar to Google Books initiatives and regional digitization projects supported by the Arab League.

Access and Legal Deposit

The Library administers legal deposit responsibilities under national statutes and regulatory instruments analogous to frameworks in the United Kingdom, France, and United States. Access policies provide reading-room services, reproductions, and research assistance modeled on policies at the Library of Congress and the Bibliothèque nationale de France, while copyright and access negotiations reference international agreements such as the Berne Convention and WIPO treaties. Interlibrary cooperation extends to institutions like the National Library of Israel, the National Library of Egypt, and the British Library.

Category:Libraries in Jordan Category:National libraries