((Emirates library)) One of the latest National Archives' Achievement

It retains researchers' studies and presents a full documentation of the UAE history, the (Emirates library) is one of the latest National Archives' achievement.

The National Archives launches Emirates library at its headquarters in Abu Dhabi, which is considered one of the specialized libraries dealing with topics relevant to the history and culture of the UAE, and the countries of the Middle East through reviewing a collection of old and modern publications.

The library is an important provider of reference for researchers; as it holds a number of rare documents, and the ease of acquisition of its contents through a number of electronic services that are accessible to researchers at the National Archives.

The library includes a collection of references, sources, dictionaries, private documents, atlases and valuable maps. El Etihad newspaper exclusively publishes the information about the library, after having toured it.

Hamad Slayem Al Hamiri, Director of Research and Knowledge Services Department said: The establishment of Emirates library has coincided with the establishment of the National Archives in 1968, and its holdings and objectives serve the National Archives’ mission to preserve the memory of the nation.

He added that Emirates library looks forward to be the model library specialized in the history of the UAE and the Arabian Peninsula in the region. He explained that it is a part of the scientific and research program of the National Archives. It provides researchers and academics with the opportunity to benefit from its specialized hard and electronic collections.

He emphasized that Emirates library offers many services to its beneficiaries in the UAE and abroad; as it provides them with information relating to their fields of interest, and with copying and photocopying service in accordance with copyrights, believing that what it offers to its clients determines its success.

Overview:

Since its inception in 1968, the National Archives has been collecting documents and information pertaining to the history of the Arabian Peninsula, and its culture in general, and the history of the UAE in particular, from its original sources in Arab and foreign countries,  documenting and translating them.

It includes thousands of distinctive printed and electronic sources, forming a full collection of Arabic and foreign sources, references, theses and periodicals, in addition to the on-line Subscriptions to e-books and diverse data-bases, including a collection of specialized books and old books that deal with the history and heritage of the United Arab Emirates, as well as with issues relating to the history, culture, and civilization of the Gulf cooperation Council countries (GCC), which includes biographies, autobiographies, atlases, and the largest atlas in the world, dictionaries, encyclopedias, original rare books, and the UAE Newspapers Archive. The information sources in the library are available in both Arabic and English languages with materials in other languages such as French, German, Persian, Dutch, and Portuguese. The library management launched a gift and exchange program with major libraries, information institutions in the UAE and abroad, and maintains cooperation ties with a number of information institutions at the national, regional and international levels.

Emirates library offers its services to beneficiaries, namely researchers, and post-graduate students in the UAE and abroad, and provides them with information in their fields of interest. It also offers in-house reading services, and ongoing briefing, preparation of specialized lists and bibliographic guides on Arabian Gulf Affairs, access to electronic resources service according to approved licenses, photocopying and copying service in accordance with copyrights.

The eexternal lending service is currently confined to the National Archives staff, beneficiaries can obtain these library services through various means such as: personal presence, telephone, P.O. box, fax, or internet and the other modern means of communication.

In order to achieve the strategic goal of enhancing the National Archives collections accessibility, Emirates library strives to upgrade the information services provided to researchers in the UAE and abroad and make the National Archives’ collections accessible through an advanced web portal (http://library.na.ae). An International standard reading is room is available with an open shelf system that allows library that provides beneficiaries with all facilities they require to carry out their research and studies.

Emirates library contribute to the National Archives' community activities, as it receives trainees from various parties, and specialized institutes to acquaint them with the working methods and its applied systems in the various stages of technical and documentation work. The library also supports local, Arab and international initiatives such as the UAE National Index for Libraries of the Ministry of Culture and Knowledge Development, eFADA initiative of Ankabut network project and Emirates Portal of the Arabic Union Catalog project.

Multi Languages:

The rare documents corner includes a number of references, original sources which are exclusively available in the National Archives, including: The Natural History book in Italian language, written in 1476, and Pietro Valais book on the Bedouins’ trips in 1665, Carsten Niebuhr's book “Description of the regions of the Arabian Peninsula”, which dates back to 1774. The corner focuses on travel books dealing with the region's history, in their original editions that are preserved according to the highest international conservation and archiving standards and levels.

Mr. Omar Hamadneh, Librarian at Emirates library said, the library also provides all the National Archives publications since its inception in 1968, starting with the book entitled “Abu Dhabi: Past and Present” published in 1969, and ending with the book entitled “50 Years in the Al Ain Oasis”. The books issued by the National archives focus on the Late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan and the founding leaders' march, and the pre union era, and embody the comprehensive development of the UAE after the establishment of the Union.

The Correspondence Corner:

Emirates library presents in a corner the most important correspondence exchanged between the United Kingdom Political Resident and the Rulers of the Gulf States, among which are the documents that were classified as part of the records of the Emirates, chronicling the period from 1820, they are classified in chronological order from the oldest to latest.

The National Archives maintains that Emirates library is classified according to the US Library of Congress classification system, which follows the highest international standards. The library holds the  Tavo multi-sectioned Atlas, which is a special atlas of the Near East and the Middle East regions. It is a specialized atlas which its introduction and subjects are arranged in alphabetic order.

Dissertations:

The National Archives devoted a section for collecting letters, dissertations and university research papers relating to the history of the UAE, and the region in general. The National Archives provides researchers with the possibility to publish their theses in the library through direct contact with the Archives management. There is cooperation with a number of international educational institutions, including the University of Michigan, to provide research papers as soon as they are discussed at the university.

The Over-sized Collection Corner includes all books with the size that exceed 35 cm.

Emirates library Librarian stressed that Emirates library is a model library for all researchers of the National Archives, as it has research units especially designed to suit the researchers' privacy, and their need for quiet atmosphere, to help them focus on their research. That enables researchers to find all the historical references and sources they need.

Newspapers Archive:

The National Archives keeps all newspapers and magazines issued in the UAE in air-conditioned places, in accordance with the highest international standards; it also allocated shelves to keep all Etihad newspaper issues since August 1972 up to the present. The National Archives also holds the special and rare first edition of the Etihad newspaper issued in 1969.

The Digital Archive:

The National Archives' officials pointed out that it is currently working on the digital repository project which is designed to digitize the paper publications in the coming period, some archived newspapers have already been digitized and saved; keep pace with the technological advancement the UAE witnesses, and to facilitate information accessibility.