BA Libraries

About the Library

As one of the BA's main sectors, the Library Sector has many functions, responsibilities, and goals. It seeks to establish itself as an international center of excellence through its collection of books, periodicals, maps, multimedia, and electronic resources, and most importantly, customized services to its users. The BA is a new form of learning space that is designed to bring the community of learners together to partake in knowledge in all its formats. The mind boggling structure and the comfort enhanced interior, combined with the multitude of services, help in creating a first-rate environment that augments the library users learning opportunities, and cultural and intellectual interactions. The open access shelves display the library collection through a reading area which cascades over the seven levels of the library and accommodates 2,000 readers under its roof. Museums, exhibitions, a conference center, and other entities are all within a few steps from the reading area. It is truly a place that appeals to all five senses.

"I have always imagined that Paradise will be a kind of library."

Jorge Luis Borges
Argentine novelist & poet (1899 - 1986)


The library is composed of the Main Library, the Taha Hussein Library, the Children’s Library , the Young People’s Library, the Arts & Multimedia Library and the Nobel Section. Each one of these contributes as parts of a whole, meeting the needs of diverse groups of individuals. Whereas any theater has its backstage crew, the Library Sector has a behind-the-scenes reinforcement staff handling every aspect of the library, all the while making sure things on the outside run smoothly. The sector’s staff consists of eight main sections: Special Libraries, Digital Library Services, Technical Services, Access Services, Public Services, New Initiatives, Arts & Multimedia Services, and Enabling Infrastructure.