Written by Christopher Cooper-Davies (2025)

INtroduction

The Iraq National Library and Archives (INLA) (Dar al-Kutub wa-l-Watha’iq) is the official state archive and library of Iraq. It holds government documents from the monarchical period (1921-1958) and the 1950s and 1960s, as well as a large collection of books and manuscripts in Arabic, Hebrew, and Turkish. Most of the materials pertain to the period after the foundation of the Iraqi state in 1921. However, the library also holds some documents and manuscripts from the nineteenth century and earlier.

INLA is open Sunday through Wednesday between 8am and 2pm, and on Thursdays between 8am and 12pm (as of October 2023). INLA is closed on Fridays and Saturdays.

Location: Google Maps

GOING THERE

INLA is located on al-Rashid Street on the west bank of the Tigris, relatively near to the cultural centre of Baghdad around al-Mutanabbi Street. The easiest way to get to there is by taxi (Careem works well in Baghdad) or Tuk-Tuk.

GETTING IN

Access to INLA is from al-Rashid Street. The entrance is set back from the road and you will need to pass security before entering into the main compound of the building. Once inside, you will need to talk to the reception staff and show them the relevant documents to gain access. INLA is split into two sections, one for books and other published materials and the other for state documents (which are mostly held on microfilm).

The process for gaining access to INLA is not straight forward for non-Iraqi visitors. According to the regulations, researchers need to present a letter of recommendation from their institution carrying an official stamp from their government and the Iraqi Foreign Ministry. These regulations are not published online and may be subject to change. Access may be withheld for other reasons, even if your paperwork is in order. Needless to say, before visiting, it can be very useful to make contact with someone inside the library who may be able to facilitate your access.

Finding your material

The full catalogue can be accessed online. The online catalogue is broken down into seven sections: books; theses; periodicals; documents; books gifted by the Turkish Embassy; and two collections of Hebrew books. The archivists in the documents section may be able to help you navigate the online catalogue. The library section has a separate hand-written catalogue which lists holdings of Iraqi newspapers and journals, including titles from the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

Ordering your material

To order documents, you will need to manually write out the code and series for each item on a form and pass it to the archivist. You can order several documents together but you can only take out one file at a time. Most if not all of the materials are on microfilm. The microfilm machines were quite old when I visited in 2023, which meant that it could be difficult to read some of the documents. The archivist may only allow you to review documents which are directly relevant to your area of research, so make sure to provide a fairly expansive but clear description of what you are interested in, including your time period, before getting started. Anything outside of your periodisation or seemingly unrelated to your topic may be withheld.

Most of the archive’s newspapers and periodicals are scanned and can be accessed on the computers on the first floor of the building. You will need to tell the librarians which titles you are interested in reading. They will then set up a computer for you to access the materials.

Ordering scans

You are allowed to take photographs directly from the microfilm screens. Alternatively, you can order scans of specific documents for a small fee. There is a limit on the number of scans you can order per day and the archivists will load them on to a CD, which you can collect the next day (this system may have changed since I visited in 2023).

For scanned journals and newspapers accessed via the computers, you will be able to copy the PDF for individual issues into a separate folder. The archivists will then upload these onto a CD for you to take with you. There is meant to be a limit on the number of issues from each title you are allowed to copy. INLA’s policy is that you are not allowed to download the scans onto a USB stick.

Food and well-being

There were no restrictions on food and drink in the library when I visited. In fact, some of the staff offered me coffee and food on several occasions. INLA is relatively near the cultural centre of Baghdad around al-Mutanabbi Street, where there are plenty of restaurants, coffee shops and fast food vendors.

Additional remarks

INLA was subject to arson and looting following the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003. This meant that a substantial portion of its holdings – approximately 60% of the documents, 25% of books and 95% of rare books – were destroyed or severely damaged by fire and water. While this presents considerable challenges for researchers using the archive, the INLA remains an invaluable repository for scholars working on the modern history of Iraq. Trying to gain access is highly recommended.