The National Library of Israel Reopens its Pages for the Public

The National Library of Israel has just recently reopened its pages for the public. What was supposed to be a celebration and inauguration was overshadowed by the outbreak of war. 

The new building contains reading rooms, study rooms, art pieces, exhibits, and even space for families to participate in activities. On January 28th, Israel Daily News got the opportunity to go on an exclusive tour of the National Library. 

The library was initially established before the state of Israel existed. It was opened in 1892 by B’nai Brith, a non profit organization dedicated to the continuation, security and enrichment of the Jewish people around the world. 

With the establishment of Hebrew University in 1925, the library collection moved to Jerusalem’s Mount Scopus which is the elevated location for the university and Hadassah hospital. There, the collection of written works acted as a place for university study. Named the Jewish National and University Library, it served the nation as an educational hub and a historical sanctuary, but its materials were more geared toward academics than they were for the general public. 

In 1960 the collection moved to the Givat Ram campus, with very small windows and reading rooms. In 2007, the National Library of Israel re-established its purpose, “to collect, preserve, cultivate and endow treasures of knowledge, heritage and culture, with an emphasis on the Land of Israel, the State of Israel and the Jewish people in particular.” In 2010 it began its remodel, with an emphasis on engagement with diverse audiences in Israel and the world. With sweeping digitalization and new cutting-edge technology, the library’s treasures can be accessed with help from robots that find books and bring them to you. The library is open to the public and is inviting all to engage with the knowledge, stories, and heritage that binds the people of Israel together. 

When approaching the entrance of the library, the architecture is designed in a way that mimics Israel’s crown landmark: the kotel, or the western wall, in english.  Once inside, you can see a downward spiraling arrangement of bookshelves arranged in a circular room. Its meant to represents a “well of knowledge.” The reading rooms are lit by semi-translucent skylights. The library contains over four and a half million books, with 250,000 found on the shelves and the rest stored underground. One of the most unique features of the remodel is the library’s book robot we mentioned earlier. When someone wants to borrow an item, they are invited to register for it online. Then the order is sent to the computer, which tracks the location of every book. The book robot finds and delivers the item to the library within 30-40 minutes. Library employees encourage people to take advantage of the online service so that by the time they arrive to the library, their book is ready and waiting. 

The library serves as a museum of Jewish and Israeli thought as well, housing thousands of artifacts, manuscripts, and archives which have been digitized. Some items are even on display. “A Treasury of Words” is a permanent exhibit of some of the most influential Israeli and Jewish pieces from throughout history. The hall displays ancient incantation bowls, the first maps of Jerusalem, rare manuscripts of the bible, original copies of iconic Israeli songs and poetry. The library will also display rotating exhibits. Currently, there is one called “Encounters of Beauty” which highlights artwork in early haggadot and other Jewish pieces. Haggadot is the plural version of haggadah which is the name of the passover book that jews use on the night of the passover seder. There are also plenty of materials including Kurans which is the top religious text for muslims, christian bibles and lots of compositions of arabic works from throughout the region’s history. 

Behind and outside of the main building is a life-sized exhibit called the “Letters of Light,” which are a number of sculptures by Micha Ullman. The stone shapes are arranged to make

a sundial that projects the shadows of the Hebrew alphabet. The artwork was made as a response to the burning of Jewish books in Nazi Germany. 

The National Library of Israel is open from 9:00 am to 8:00 pm Sunday through Wednesday, and 9:00 am to 1:00 pm on Fridays. Library administrators hope all kinds of people will come to connect with their heritage, study for an exam, or just enjoy a book and treat from the cafe which is set to open on the main floor in just a couple of weeks! It is located on Eliezer Kaplan Street, right across from Israel’s Knesset.