The Library Collections

The National Library of Israel houses more than five million books, periodicals and journals, as well as thousands of additional items in its special collections, including manuscripts, archives, maps, musical recordings and digital materials. In accordance with Israeli law, the National Library collects, preserves and offers access to any item published in Israel.

250,000 books rest on the open shelves of our reading halls. The main reading hall contains books from the Israel, Judaica, Islam and Middle East, and Humanities Collections. Nearby is the Gershom Scholem Collection dedicated to Jewish mysticism, Hasidism, Jewish messianism and other related subjects. Our Special Collections Reading Room contains manuscripts, archives, maps and music.

Our in-house experts, members of the scholarly community, are extremely knowledgeable in regards to our collections, the various types of physical and digital materials contained in them as well as other relevant private and public collections. These are the people who guide our collection policy in all formats. They are constantly searching for opportunities to enrich and develop the collection through acquisitions, donations or collaborations with other libraries. They are in close communication with the scholarly community and cultivate the collections in accordance with the needs of the public. The collections are subject to periodical reviews at regular intervals, for example by comparing them to the collections of other institutions, in order to ensure their quality.