The Arabic collection now comprises over 60,000 items. It is particularly strong in early Arabic printing. Early European imprints in Arabic are represented by Roman Catholic publications as well as philosophical and medical works printed in Spain and Italy, and the Hamburg Arabic Qur'an of 1694. The Library holds some rare 18th-century publications from missionary presses in the Levant, and Arabic works printed on the press brought to Alexandria by Napoleon in 1798. The Library has strong holdings of Arabic books published at the press established by Muhammad 'Ali at Bulaq from 1822 onwards. Arabic books in the British Library also include works from the India Office Library, established in 1801, including c.7000 books published in India before 1947, received under copyright legislation.
Kitab salat al-sawa'i:.a book of Christian prayers recognised as the earliest surviving Arabic book printed from moveable type (Fano, Italy, 1514). Or.70.aa.12. Copyright © The British Library Board
An early priority for the Library was the collection of classical texts of Islamic scholarship and Arabic literary writing. These texts continue to be acquired, but over time acquisitions policy has broadened to include a wider range of contemporary scholarship and research in the humanities and social sciences. The Library has good holdings of material published in Cairo and Beirut but its holdings from North Africa and the Arab Gulf are less extensive, although its collection of works from or about Iraq and Yemen compares well with other UK libraries. Arabic texts published in Europe and the United States are well represented and copyright legislation has ensured strong coverage of works published in Britain. Modern literary writing from the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries was not collected extensively, and early Egyptian fiction, for example, is mainly available in the form of reprints. Contemporary literary writing is not collected extensively: the Library aims to acquire the works of the most prominent authors only, supplemented by an extensive range of literary criticism and cultural studies works. The Library also holds some publications produced by political groupings and Arab non-governmental organisations (particularly those in the Palestinian-administered Territories), and some official publications of Arab governments, although it does not currently collect official publications.
The scale of publishing in the Arab world makes it impossible for a single library to collect research level publications from every Arab country. Cooperation between libraries is needed to ensure broad coverage. UK libraries which belong to the Middle East Libraries Committee (MELCOM) have agreed an Area Specialisation Scheme which allocates groups of Arab countries to particular libraries. Full details of this scheme are on the MELCOM website, but in general terms the School of Oriental and African Studies (London) has strong holdings from North Africa (Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya) whilst Exeter University has a special focus on the Arab Gulf states and Iraq, and Durham University collects material on Sudan as well as official publications from all Middle East states. The British Library's primary focus is on Egypt and the Levant (Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, and the Palestinian Authority).
The collection includes approximately 200 newspaper titles, ranging from single issues of émigré newspapers to substantial runs of major dailies. Over 400 journals are also held, and the Library currently subscribes to a limited number of journals in the humanities and social sciences. The Library receives most contemporary UK publications under copyright legislation.
Example of a typescript designed by Ahmad Faris al-Shidyaq, one of the pioneers of Arabic printing. al-Lafif fi kull ma'na tarif, an Arabic first reading book, published in Malta in 1839. 14586.a.15. Copyright © The British Library Board
