National Library of Israel

The National Library of Israel is a very big library.

It keeps more than five million books safe. Long ago, a man named Joseph Chazanovitz had a big idea. He wanted a home for many special books. He collected many books to help start it. The library has many rare things to see. It even has old papers from Isaac Newton.

People can now see many books online too. This library helps people learn about the past.

The National Library of Israel is a very big library.

It holds more than five million books. It also keeps many rare papers and objects.

Long ago, a man named Joseph Chazanovitz had a big idea.

He wanted a home for all books by Jewish authors. He collected 15,000 books to help start this goal. This led to the B'nai Brith library in 1892.

Later, the collection became part of a university library. In 1948, many books were moved to new spots. The library grew to have over one million books. In 2007, a new law made it the official national library.

Today, the library has a new, large building in Jerusalem. It was designed by a firm called Herzog & de Meuron. The library helps people learn by sharing books online. They even scan old books from the Islamic world. This lets people see them for free on the web. The library also keeps special papers from famous people like Isaac Newton.

The National Library of Israel is a huge place for learning.

It is located in Jerusalem near the Knesset, which is the building where the government meets. The library holds more than 5 million books. It also keeps many rare manuscripts and special objects. Its main job is to collect all kinds of cultural treasures. This includes books about Israel and Jewish heritage. It also keeps works written in many different languages.

Collecting these treasures happens in a special way. By law, two copies of everything printed in Israel must be given to the library. This started with printed books. In 2001, the law changed to include audio and video recordings too. The library also works to find books from all over the world. They want books about the Jewish people, even if they were written in other countries. They even scan old books so people can see them online.

This includes over 2,500 rare books from the Islamic world. These are written in Arabic, Persian, Turkish, and Urdu.

The story of the library began a long time ago.

A man named Joseph Chazanovitz had a big idea. He wanted a home for all works by Jewish authors. He collected about 15,000 books to start this mission. This helped create the B'nai Brith library in 1892. This was the first public library for the Jewish community in that area. Later, these books became the start of a university library.

As time passed, the library moved to many different places. In 1925, the books moved to Mount Scopus for the Hebrew University. In 1948, the university could not reach that campus anymore. Because of this, workers moved over one million books to temporary spots. Some books even went into storerooms around the city. In 1960, the collection moved to a new building in Givat Ram. In 2007, a new law officially named it the National Library of Israel.

The library also keeps papers from very famous people. For example, it has manuscripts by the scientist Isaac Newton. These papers include his ideas about holy books and maps. The library also holds the personal papers of writers like Franz Kafka. It even has collections of books from Palestinian families from 1948. About 6,000 of these books are kept in the library today. They are marked with a special label. This library helps us understand the history of many different people.

The National Library of Israel (NLI) is a major institution dedicated to preserving cultural history.

It serves as a central repository for the cultural treasures of Israel and Jewish heritage. The library holds a massive collection of more than 5 million books. It also maintains vast collections of Hebraica and Judaica. These are specialized collections of books and documents written in Hebrew or related to Jewish culture. The NLI is also home to many rare and unique manuscripts and artifacts.

To build this collection, the library follows specific legal mechanisms. By law, two copies of every printed item published in Israel must be deposited at the library. This ensures that the nation's entire publishing history is preserved. In 2001, the law was updated to include non-print media. This means the library now collects audio and video recordings as well. The mission also extends globally. The library seeks all publications regarding the State of Israel, Judaism, and the Jewish people. This includes works written in any language, anywhere in the world. It also collects materials in languages of the Jewish Diaspora, such as Yiddish and Ladino.

The library's history began with the vision of Joseph Chazanovitz.

He was a subject of the Russian Czar who wanted a home for all works by Jewish authors. This included authors writing in foreign cultures. Chazanovitz collected about 15,000 volumes that formed the core of the future library. In 1892, the B'nai Brith library was founded in Jerusalem. This was the first public library in the Palestine region to serve the Jewish community. It was originally located on B'nai Brith Street.

As the collection grew, it moved through several different stages and locations. In 1920, the B'nai Brith collection became the basis for the Hebrew University library. The books moved to the Mount Scopus campus when the university opened in 1925.

However, in 1948, access to Mount Scopus was blocked. The university collection had grown to over one million books by this time. Workers moved most of these books to temporary quarters in the Terra Sancta building in Rehavia. Some books were even kept in various storerooms around the city due to a lack of space.

In 1960, the collection moved to a new building in Givat Ram. This building served as the Jewish National and University Library (JNUL) for many years. In 2007, the National Library Law was passed. This law officially recognized the institution as the National Library of the State of Israel. The law took effect on 23 July 2008. This changed the library's status to a community interest company. It is now jointly owned by the Government of Israel, which holds a 50% share, and the Hebrew University, which holds 25%.

The library also manages highly significant special collections. It holds the personal papers of hundreds of famous figures. For example, the library possesses manuscripts by the scientist Isaac Newton. These papers include his theological writings and maps regarding religious calculations. The library also holds the archives of writers like Martin Buber, Gershom Scholem, and Max Brod. Notably, the collection includes the papers of Franz Kafka. The library also preserves the libraries of Palestinian Arabs who fled in 1948. About 6,000 of these books are indexed today with the label "Abandoned Property."

Modern technology has changed how people interact with these treasures. The NLI is working to digitize many of its rare items for online access. This includes over 2,500 rare manuscripts from the Islamic world. These works are written in Arabic, Persian, Turkish, and Urdu. They date from the ninth to the twentieth centuries. Recently, the library moved into a massive new home in Jerusalem.

This 45,000 square meter building was designed by the firm Herzog & de Meuron. The building opened to the public in late October 2023. It stands as a modern center for global research and history.