Written by Athina Pfeiffer and Mathias Ghyoot (2024)

INtroduction

The Tunisian National Library (Dar al-Kutub al-Wataniyya or Bibliothèque Nationale de Tunis) is the largest library in Tunisia. It holds a large collection of manuscripts, periodicals, and books written and published in and beyond North Africa. The manuscript collection is gradually being digitized and put online on the website, yet most of it is still only available on-site. The library is open Monday through Friday from 8:30am to 7:30pm. However, the manuscript section is only open in the morning from 8:30am until about 12:30am to 2:00pm, and the periodical and book sections until about 4:30pm. 

Location: Google Maps

GOING THERE

The library is located about 5-10 min. walk from Kasbah Square at the edge of the Medina behind the National Archives (Archives Nationales). You can also grab a taxi or a Bolt. Enter through the large gate and climb up the staircase towards the enormous salmon-pink building which is the Tunisian National Library.

GETTING IN

You need to have a research library card to use the facilities and access material. To get one, head to the reception desk on the right in the hallway and state that you would like to make a research library card. The reception desk will then point you to the office at the entrance of the library in charge of making library cards, located at the entrance on your right. At this desk, explain that you would like a research library card and choose the length of your subscription ( days, months, or a year). If you wish to access manuscripts, you’ll need to specify this. At this moment, they will then send you back to the reception desk where you will pick up a form. Fill out the form with your information and return it to the office together with a copy of your passport, a physical passport photo, and a photocopy of a document proving that you are an enrolled graduate student or affiliated researcher at a university. Once your application is approved, you’ll be directed to the treasury across the hall where you will need to pay 30 TND in cash. Return the receipt to the office where they will proceed to make your card. This will not take longer than 15 min.

Once you have your card, you’ll need to leave your bag in one of the open lockers (no lock) next to the reception. Leave no valuables in your bag. You’re allowed to bring in everything (including books), and may even do so in a transparent plastic bag as do many Tunisians.

Finding your material

The manuscript room is located right across the hall on the ground floor while the periodical room is located on the 4th floor and the book stacks on the 2nd floor. In order to access the different rooms and floors, use your new library card to “beep” yourself in through the gates. Always keep your library card with you!

You can use your own laptop to access the online catalog of the library - there is even free WIFI, just ask any employee for the password. For manuscripts, you can also look at the (incomplete) physical catalog circulating in the Manuscript Room.

Ordering your material

Manuscripts: Access to manuscripts was until recently subject to the agreement of the Director of the Manuscript Department. However, as of 2024, there is no director and accessing manuscripts therefore depends on the person who fetches manuscripts from the stacks (see below). 

The Manuscript Room is located on the ground floor, opposite the reception desk. Once in the Manuscript Room, head towards the information desk on the right (you might have to wait until a person shows up – don’t hesitate to inform the reception desk so that they can call the person in charge). If you see movement behind the glass window, this is probably the librarian, and you can signal to him or her that you wish to order a manuscript. Ask for a request form from either the librarian behind the glass or the librarian at the information desk. Write your personal information as well as the manuscript shelfmark on the form. You can request a maximum of three manuscripts per day. Again, return the form to the desk or knock on the window. Then wait until the librarian behind the glass fetches your manuscripts from the stacks. You are allowed to look at one manuscript at a time, yet taking photographs is forbidden. 

Books and Periodicals: The library has an impressive collection of Arabic periodicals on the 4th floor. Most of these are directly accessible on the shelves lining the large reading room, but they are not shelved in any particular order. For rare periodicals, you will have to go to the circulation desk, inform the librarian about the shelf mark, and fill out a couple of forms to request the material. You may have to wait a while for the librarian to fetch it, but once the material has arrived you’re free to inspect it at one of the many tables in the reading room. Officially, it’s not permitted to take photographs, yet many do so without problem. You can order a maximum of 5 periodicals per day.

As for books, you’ll need to head down to the 2nd floor. Again, you’ll enter a large reading room, but here, there are only a few reference books directly accessible on the shelves. To order books, head to the circulation desk, inform the librarian about the shelf mark, and fill out a couple of forms to request the material. You may have to wait a while for the librarian to fetch it, but once the material has arrived you’re free to inspect it at one of the many tables in the reading room. Officially, it’s not permitted to take photographs, yet many do so without problem. You can order a maximum of 5 books per day.

Ordering scans

Manuscripts: Request a form for each manuscript from the librarian at the information desk or the librarian behind the glass window in the Manuscript Room. Fill it out and bring it back to the librarian who will escort you to another floor to submit your request which has to be validated by the Director of the library. The rules are unclear about the number of pictures you can request (from a maximum of 50 folios per manuscript to the entire manuscript) – it all depends on the person you will be facing. Once your request is approved (likely the next day), go back to the library to get the signed form back and pay in cash at the Treasury where you paid for your library card. You will pay 0,500 TND per folio. Bring your receipt and the signed form to the librarian in the manuscript room who will process your request. The scans are delivered in the form of a CD that you have to pick up personally at the library – this can take weeks. It is possible to find an agreement with the librarians so that they send you the pictures via WeTransfer – but this is not guaranteed.

Periodicals and Books: You can only order a maximum of 50 pages per periodical/book. If you wish to do so, inform the librarian and fill out a form. The process is laborious and time consuming, and you will typically receive the scan in the form of physical photocopies. One page is 0,500 TND.

Food and well-being

A cafeteria is located in the basement of the library which you can access by exiting through  the lobby and going around the building. At the parking spot on the back, you enter through a door into a large, empty cafeteria. You can easily grab coffee, water, and snacks, but for lunch, we recommend that you go to a sandwich spot outside the library or treat yourself with a nice lunch in the Medina. As for bathroom facilities, bring your own toilet paper and hand sanitizer. Bathrooms are located on all floors.