When historians refer to ‘training,’ we often refer to being able to read an archive and understand how the source itself fits into the grander scheme of the archive. But part of the problem, at least in Middle East and North African studies, is having archives to read into at all. The last two decades have witnessed multiple archive crises in the region. Archives have been rendered inaccessible, often by conflict, in the case of Syria and Iraq, or sources have been deliberately removed from archives by security states, such as the Israeli State Archives; Lebanon’s national archives, meanwhile, are under ‘renovations’ and there’s little word on when they might be accessible to the general public. But perhaps the problem is that we’re not thinking archive-first: we dive into topics without thinking of the availability of sources. Another layer of training we might receive is to construct projects while thinking source-first and readily reading available sources against the grain.
Jafet Library at the American University of Beirut (AUB) is one such repository of primary sources that might inspire researchers to think critically when building their own collections of sources. The Library has an impressive microfilm collection of Arabic-language periodicals. Furthermore, its Archive and Special Collections have accumulated some noteworthy unique documents, including private papers of the region’s elites.
History
The Syrian Protestant College, AUB’s former designation (it was renamed the American University of Beirut in 1920), had a library from its inception. This likely stemmed from the Syria Mission, which had a literary society equipped with a library prior to the establishment of the College itself. AUB itself was established to address concerns by the American Board of Control for Foreign Missions (ABCFM) for education in the region; early efforts to provide greater educational opportunities came in the form of preparatory schools, like the Abeih Academy. Upon the library’s establishment in 1866, it housed both Arabic and English volumes. By the 1870s, this included a periodicals reading room. It began obtaining manuscripts during this same period, through both its funds and donations. One of the earliest acquisitions was a Syriac manuscript of the New Testament later named the Beirut Codex, obtained in the 1870s by AUB founder Daniel Bliss (1823-1916).
The Library moved to its current site, Jafet, during the 1951-52 school year, with a total collection of 73,000 volumes. Jafet was named for Nami Jafet, an 1882 alumna who wrote for al-Muqtataf, taught at the Thalathat Akmar School, and later emigrated to Brazil where he became a businessman. AUB has three additional libraries in its system: the Engineering and Architecture Library, the Science and Agriculture Library, Saab Medical Library (established 1925) and the Agricultural Research and Educator Center (AREC) in the Beqaa Valley.
Collection
Jafet Library is AUB’s primary research library: it’s fairly well-stocked with monographs on virtually every subject. But if you’re coming here for research, you’re going to one of two locations. First up: the microfilms collection, which houses AUB’s extensive periodicals collection. Some of the rarest Arabic-language periodicals in the world can be found here, mostly due to AUB’s history as an educational institution; they had subscriptions to nearly every major periodical in the region. Eventually, this collection was micro-filmed. The collection is not limited to Lebanese publications but contains material from South America, North America, North Africa, the Middle East, and Europe. The microfilms are of generally high quality.
What remains of the physical periodicals collection is housed in AUB’s second research gem: the Archives and Special Collections in Jafet’s basement. The archives are a mish-mash of different materials that have been donated to AUB over the years and AUB’s own records (some relevant documents are also at the medical library). AUB is not a substitute for a national library, where you could find, say, information on the history of pipe-laying in Beirut. But what is here is incredible. There are some specialized collections (see the Finding Aids): the papers of nearly every AUB (and thus, SPC) president are housed here, along with the papers of important Nahda figures like Jurji Zaydan. There are also extensive photo collections that might be purposed in a variety of different ways. The manuscript collection includes 1400 manuscripts in a myriad of languages (some are available online). There’s a map collection, as well as a poster collection, both of which focus on the Levant and specifically, Lebanon. AUB’s collections can either provide the primary bones of a research projects or supplement other sources from elsewhere, filling in gaps.
The Research Experience
AUB is a wonderful place to work; it’s comfortable and the librarians are extremely helpful, both at the Reference Desk and in the Archives and Special Collections. The microfilm machines are a mixed bag: the manual ones are excellent for photographing sources, that is, when they’re working; skimming is easy because the images are so high quality. The digital machines let you take high quality scans in PDF form but are difficult to get through if you’re skim-reading.
Your experience also depends on when you come, be it time of day or season. Mornings can be busy, even in the summer when there are less students on campus. The librarians naturally are busier when the semesters are on, partially because Jafet is not open-stacks. The Archives and Special Collections is also pleasant, if a little cold to maintain the collection. Both are also well-equipped with outlets.
Access
You have two options. Inevitably, you need an ID card to get access to the AUB Library; they won’t check this at Jafet Library proper (i.e. the main or reference desks), but you will need this to get through the AUB gates and to order material from the Archives. First, you can purchase library access. You’ll need to email in advance with details of what you’ll be trying to access (Library Access Services: libcirc@aub.edu.lb); 2-3 weeks is a safe bet during the semester itself. They tend to be very prompt. They will ask you for a reference letter from your home institution or a reference (for PhD students; this can be emailed directly to Library Access Services).
When you arrive on campus, head straight to Jaffet. Go to the main circulation desk (in the lobby) and they’ll direct you to the Library Access Services. They’ll go over your material and then they’ll send you to the Bursar to pay the 110 dollar fee (they take both American Dollars and Lebanese Lira; there’s an ATM outside of Jaffet if you’ve forgotten to bring money). Once you give the receipt back to Library Access Services, you’ll need to go to the ID office, a two-minute walk away. They’ll photograph you and issue your ID.
The second method is to get affiliation with AUB’s Center for Arab and Middle Eastern Studies (CAMES), who might give you library access for virtually free. This might be a little more difficult if you’re going in the off-season (i.e. summer), but it will give you library and internet access. You will still need to pay for an ID card (~10,000 lira, roughly 7 US dollars). The process is roughly the same, although you’ll be going to CAMES to validate everything.
Reproductions
The Reference Desk gives you unlimited reproduction access; there are also instructions hung around the Microfilms room highlighting general US copyright law regulations. You can either photograph the microfilms on the manual microfilm machines themselves or use the computer stations to take copies (then use USB storage to retrieve them). This will vary according to the quality of the microfilm. They’ll also give you as many microfilms as you request at a time and store them at the Reference Desk until you’re done with them.
The Archives and Special Collections is another story entirely: you will need get approval for what will be photographed and they tend to err on the side of limiting reproductions. This might be as little as a single page. They’re also conservative (reasonably) when it comes to how many documents you pull; they’ll give you one manuscript or folder at a time.
Transportation and Food
AUB is located at the edge of the Hamra neighborhood, on Bliss Street. It’s a high traffic area. For about 10,000 lira (7 US dollars or so) you can take a cab here from anywhere in Beirut, but if you’re being more thrifty, you can take a service. Anywhere east of Hamra (as well as the Cola Intersection) should have services running to Hamra/Bliss; flag a cab and ask if they’ll take you service (since any cab is technically a service and vice versa). That should be about 2 Lira, or a dollar and 30 or so cents.
Hamra naturally has a ton of eating options. Bliss Street itself has some quick stalls, small grocery stores and a ton of cafes; these vary in price, from the more upscale to the dirt cheap. My own personal recommendation for coffee (and a change of scenery) is Cafe Younes, which has several branches around the city; the one opposite the AUB Medical School gate of the campus is the closest. AUB itself has a food hall and a student center, if you prefer not to leave campus (as well as vending machines outside the library).
The AUB guards and Jafet staff also don’t check bags for food or drinks, so you could bring in food and eat it somewhere on campus.
Contact information
American University of Beirut
University Libraries
Bliss Street
P.O.Box 11-0236
Riyad El-Solh, Beirut 11072020
Lebanon
Telephone: 961 1 35 00 00
961 1 34 04 60
961 1 37 44 44
961 1 37 43 74
Mobile: 961 3 79 13 13
Ext: 2600
Fax: 961 1 74 47 03
E-mail: library@aub.edu.lb
Access Services Department (x2618)
Circulation and Reproduction Services: circulation@aub.edu.lb
Document Delivery Services: dds@aub.edu.lb
Reserve Section: libreserve@aub.edu.lb
Archives and Special Collections: (x2609/10)
Inquiries, copying permissions, and research consultations: asc@aub.edu.lb
Reference Department: (x2620/1)
E-mail: jftref@aub.edu.lb
Resources and Links
AUB Library Historical Review
AUB Library Finding Aids
AUB Library Archives and Special Collections
AUB Library Manuscripts
AUB Library: Manuscript Catalogue
(in Arabic)
AUB Library Contacts
NA Mansour is a graduate student at Princeton University’s Department of Near Eastern Studies working on the intellectual history of the Arabic-language press. She is one of Hazine’s co-editors. She tweets @NAMansour26 and podcasts in her spare time, working on the New Books Network’s Middle East Studies and Global Affairs Channel, along with another Middle-East and North Africa-related podcast: Reintroducing.