Haram Library: An ancient repository of knowledge

The Haram Library, located near the Grand Mosque in Makkah, is one of the most important and oldest libraries in the Islamic world. Abbasid Caliph Al-Mahdi established it in 160H. It attracts a large numbers of visitors and researchers every year.
Underlining its importance, King Abdul Aziz set up a committee of scholars in 1357H to oversee its development and donated a collection of books.
Fahd bin Jubair Al-Sufyani, director of the library, said the Haram Library had been used by the followers of the Prophet (peace be upon him) for reference as it contained a large number of books.
“Many people including Caliphs had donated books to the library considering the holiness of the place,” he pointed out.
The library has 15 departments, including the library service department where officials extend necessary services to visitors and researchers by helping them to find out the books they were looking for.
There are more than 150,000 titles and a large number of rare manuscripts including 6,500 original manuscripts and 70,000 digital manuscripts at the library. In the periodicals section, there are 134 newspapers and magazines.
“There is a special section for women,” Al-Sufyani said, adding that it is open for visitors in the morning and evening shifts.