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History of the LNL
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The Rehabilitation Project in Pictures
The Rehabilitation Project of the National Library in pictures
In 2003, a subsidy contract between the Ministry of Culture and the Delegation of the European Commission in Lebanon launched the Rehabilitation Project of the Lebanese National Library.

Signature of the subsidy contract for the Rehabilitation Project of the National Library


Missions of the Projet :

1. Safeguarding and treatment of collections

In the workshops located at the Port of Beirut, where the boxes containing the old collection of the National Library were moved, a processing chain was established to treat the existing collection. :

Unpacking and counting of books
Dust removal and cleaning
Sorting out and Bar coding
Digitalization of title pages
Data entry
Book shelving


Periodicals were subjected to the same processing chain.  :
1. Unpacking
2. Sorting out
3. Dust removal
4. Data entry and shelving

2. Restoration of old documents

Documents requiring repair were treated according to their needs: put in boxes or minor repair.
Put in boxes
Minor sewing
Spine repair
Paper restoration
Renewal of endpapers

3. Training

The team members were trained, in Lebanon and abroad, on binding and restoration, cataloguing and archiving of periodicals, computerization and automation, legal deposit and national bibliography, and collection development.

4. The establishment of the Library as an Institution

- The organization of a scientific seminar: " The National Library: Concept and Policy"
On May 21 and 22, 2004, the Rehabilitation Project of the National Library organized a consultation and reflection meeting/conference to define the bibliographic, the collection development, and the book preservation policies.
See the recommendations issued by the conference.

5. The architectural program

- Organization of a seminar on the architecture of the Library: "The National Library: Architectural Contest"
On December 1 and 2, 2005, the Rehabilitation Project organized a seminar entitled: "The National Library: Architectural Contest", which brought together local and foreign experts and architects. Upon the seminar's recommendation, the Minister of Culture created a programming committee for the restoration, construction and equipment of the National Library in Sanayeh.
See the recommendations issued by the conference
Committees created under the Rehabilitation Project of the National Library :
The Weeding Committee in charge of assessing the state of books and determining the fate of documents that are extremely contaminated by moisture, fungi and insects.

The Scientific Committee composed of intellectuals, writers, and librarians in charge of defining the missions and roles of the future National Library, its organizational chart and the job descriptions.

The Architectural Committee in charge of developing the detailed programming of the spaces dedicated to the different services of the National Library as well as networks essential to its operation (computer, telephony...), and choosing an expert to develop the architectural and technical specifications.

The Rehabilitation Project ended in August 2006 and was followed by the Revival Project of the Lebanese National Library.
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