ACRL News Issue (B) of College & Research Libraries


C&RL News u  January 1998 /  27

C o l l e g e  & R e s e a r c h  L i b r a r i e s

American librarians visit Gaza strip

Their libraries are improving, but they still 
have a long way to go

by R. N. Sharma

A delegation o f American librarians, in­cluding the author, Ron Chepesiuk, 
head of special collections at Rock Hill Uni­
versity in South Carolina, and Fouad El-
Harazin, president of the Gaza Govemorate 
I n t e r n a t i o n a l  
Foundation, vis­
ited the Gaza Strip 
from  N ovem ber 
10-18, 1997, on a 
fact-finding m is­
sio n  to e x p lo re  
the need s o f li­
braries. The trip 
was authorized by 
the International 
Relations Commit­
te e  o f the ALA.
Gaza Strip is one 
o f  th e  w o r ld ’s 

R. N. Sharma (left) w ith  P
m o st h is to ric  Yasir A ra fa t in Gaza.
places, situated on 
the east coast of the Mediterranean. It is also 
one of the most densely populated areas in 
the world. In addition, 46 percent o f the 
population in the Gaza and West Bank areas 
is under the age o f 15.

L ib r a r y  f a c ilit ie s
There are 22 academic institutions in Pales­
tine. None o f the institutions have adequate 
library facilities. Alazhar University in Gaza, 
with over 11,000 students, has only 1,500

a

books and lacks journals and technology. The 
College of Education in Gaza has 2,600 stu­
dents on three campuses, but has only 22,000 
books and two librarians to serve them. Some 
o f the reference books in these collections 

are 20 to 30 years 
old and no recent 
editions or titles 
are available. One 
English professor 
told me, “It is frus­
tra tin g  and  d e ­
pressing to come 
to the library.”

T h e  Is la m ic 
University in Gaza 
has the best library 
facilities available. 
There are 80,000 
b o o k s and jou r­

lestinian leader President 
nals, limited mi­
crofilm collection 

and technology, and three professional librar­
ians to serve 6,000 students. There are no 
school, public, or special libraries (with the 
exception o f British Council, French, and Di­
ana Tamari Sabbagh libraries) to serve stu­
dents and the general public. There are no 
library schools, no collection policies to de­
velop collections, no national library, and no 
library associations in Palestine. The delega­
tion met officials of the Ministry of Educa­
tion, deans, presidents, librarians, the spe-

A b o u t th e  a u th o r

R. N. Sharma is director o f libraries at West Virginia State College and chair o f the Near East and South Asia Subcommittee 
o f the International Relations Committee o f the ALA; e-mail: sharmarn@ernie.wvsc.wvnet.edu

mailto:sharmarn@ernie.wvsc.wvnet.edu


28  / C&RL News m January 1998

cial advisor to the president on education, 
and President Yasir Arafat. All officials stressed 
the need to develop libraries for the benefit 
o f children, young adults, and other citizens 
o f this new, emerging nation. The officials 
o f the Ministry of Education informed us o f a 
plan in order to fully develop their educa­
tion system.

L o o k in g  a h e a d
For the first time in the history o f the na­
tion, m oney has b ee n  allocated  for all 
schools, colleges, and university libraries. 
Palestinians also visited the United States to 
become acquainted with our efficient edu­
cation and library system. According to the 
plans, all libraries will be linked to the In­
ternet in the near future. Plans have been 
made for the National Library, which will 
be completed in the year 2000, if funding is 
available.

Salim Arafat El Mobayed has been ap­
pointed as the first national librarian to carry 
out the plan. The library will have five floors, 
which will house manuscripts, books, jour­
nals, conference hall, state-of-the-art technol­
ogy, and a museum. The total cost of the 
project will be approximately $28 million.

The delegation firmly believes that Gaza 
Strip/West Bank institutions need books, jour­
nals, technology, and proper guidance to 
develop their libraries. A few nations, includ­
ing Canada, England, France, India, Italy, 
Japan, Northern Ireland, and a few Arab na­
tions have already donated books and given 
financial aid. The European Community has 
given $3.3 million, and a few foundations in 
the United States, including Project Hope, 
International Text Book Program, and Sabre 
Foundation have sent books to Palestine li­
braries recently. The limited improvement of 
libraries during the last two years has been 
credited to Abu Daya, dean of College of 
Education in Gaza City, who has been in­
strumental in turning the situation around 
due to his excellent vision for libraries. Nev­
ertheless, further help, guidance, and aid are 
needed to develop the libraries.

President Arafat stated to the delegation, 
“We are the highest educated people in the 
Arab world …  out of every 1,000 people 
eighteen have master’s and/or Ph.D. degrees. 
We need books; we need journals; we need 
technology to build the future of our chil­
dren and the nation. All help will be appre­
ciated.” ■