The Library of the Holy Mosque of Mecca, affiliated to the General Presidency for the Affairs of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque, is one of the most important and ancient libraries in the Islamic world, as it is located in the holiest and most honorable place where the place of revelation and the home of all Muslims’ hearts. The date of its establishment, according to historical sources, goes back to the second century AH, during the reign of the Abbasid Caliph Muhammad al-Mahdi, around the year 161 AH. On it in the year 1357 AH, the library of the Holy Mosque of Mecca, and he gave it – may God have mercy on him – a group of books, and it has received the care and attention of the state, may God cherish it from that time to this day.
The nucleus of the Library of the Great Mosque of Mecca was one of the domes of the Haram that was devoted at that time to preserving the Qur’ans that came to the Grand Mosque in Mecca, and over the course of days its collections grew until they moved outside the Haram. It was the first time that it was transferred outside the Haram in 1375 AH, and it was affiliated with the Ministry of Hajj (the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah now) until 1385 AH, after which it joined the General Presidency for Religious Supervision at the Grand Mosque until its name changed to the General Presidency for the Affairs of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque, and it became a public library It provides its services to students of science and visitors to the old house under the umbrella of the newly established General Administration of Scientific and Intellectual Affairs.
The library includes eleven different departments and two learning halls that provide services to readers, science students and visitors, which are as follows: His Excellency Sheikh Nasser Al-Rashid Hall for viewing and reading, and this hall enriches the library by exchanging information resources with individuals and scientific institutions with the latest technical means, and it contains more than 200 He wrote an Arabic book and volume.
The Sheikh Suleiman Obaid Hall for Periodicals and Journals includes nearly 14,899 old and modern scientific journals, and nearly 714 titles, and the Manuscripts Department, and this section is concerned with embracing anecdotes of 7525 original manuscripts, more than 900,000 digital manuscripts, and the Private Libraries Section which includes collections of rare information resources And the modern endowment libraries contain more than 46 private libraries, and the newspaper section, and it contains old newspapers containing 4443 newspaper volumes.
The Acquisition Department is the main portal for the library through which it provides everything the library needs, the beneficiary of modern information sources, and the Binding, Sterilization and Restoration Section. This section treats damaged books and re-binding them, as well as restoring and sterilizing old and obsolete manuscripts and books, and the gifting and exchange section. Enriching the library by exchanging information resources with individuals and scientific institutions, and the Indexing and Classification Department.
This section is a key to facilitating the process of obtaining information resources in response to the services of the beneficiaries.
The Department of Photography also pays attention to photographing manuscripts and rare books and digitally processing them to preserve them from damage through digital devices and microfilm devices, and the Scientific Programs Section that focuses on the scientific programs and activities of the library, and the electronic library section that meets the needs of the visitor and researcher through all electronic information sources at home and abroad, The Rare Books Department is concerned with the rare historical books, the Women’s Department is concerned with the Library of the Holy Mosque of Mecca in serving the visitors, and it provides library service to them with full benefit from its programs, and the number of beneficiaries exceeds more than (23047) beneficiaries.
The Director of the General Administration for Scientific and Cultural Affairs and the Library of the Holy Mosque of Mecca, Dr.Ahmed bin Fahd Al-Shuweir, stated that the library was distinguished during this year by attracting large numbers of visitors and science students interested in this authentic and sober scientific and historical heritage since it moved to the new building in the Batha Quraish neighborhood, which accommodates more than 500 visitors. Per hour, when it implemented more than 15 programs and initiatives, and the statistics of the original and digitally illustrated manuscripts on microfilm, digital and non-Arabic, in addition to the indexes of Arab and Islamic manuscripts were approximately 48,787 manuscripts, and the statistics of Arab rare books reached about 7,079 rare books, and the statistics of the number of university letters reached more than 1668 messages. University inside and outside the Kingdom.
He stated that the number of library employees during this year was 88 official employees and 19 contractors interested in serving the visitor to the library, and they were equipped with various high-tech and quality development and service means in various fields.
Dr. Al-Shuwayer welcomed the pioneers, interested and interested students, students of knowledge, and guests of Rahman to visit the library, rich in treasures of knowledge, and get acquainted with and review this sober historical legacy. Pointing out that the library throughout the quarantine period provided its services remotely, as it responded to the requests of students of knowledge, and held several seminars on the role of the community library, pointing out that the working hours start from eight in the morning until eight in the evening except on Friday and Saturday except for the Hajj season
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