The manuscript collection preserved at the National Library consists of nearly 40,000 titles, grouped in 24,000 volumes. In addition to their scholarly value, the manuscript collection includes rare specimen with lovely leather bindings and ornate illuminations, which make the collection not only invaluable but also one of the most beautiful in the world.
The manuscript collection illustrates the intellectual production and knowledge of more than 14 centuries of Arabic and Muslim civilization, including many subject areas both religious and secular, such as literature, law, medicine, astrology, and music.
The oldest piece in the collection, “Tafsir Yahia Ibn Sallam”, dates back to the 4th century A.H. (approximately 10th century A.D.)
Books
The book collection, rich in rare and early works, includes a certain number of titles whose publication dates back to the beginning of the 16th century. The collection has been continuously developed since its creation in 1885, as a result of acquisitions, gifts, and exchanges. Currently, the collection totals nearly one million volumes.
In addition to Arabic and French, the National Library’s collections contain works in English, German, Italian and other languages. More than 50 languages are represented in the collection.
The monograph collection is mainly developed through:
· National production, due to the Library’s role as National Bibliography Agency
· New acquisitions encompassing subject areas related to Tunisian geopolitical memberships (the Arabic and Muslim world, the Mediterranean, Africa) and different branches of knowledge
· Exchanges supported by the National Library with more than 350 information institutions, which allows the Library to enrich its collections with particularly varied works.
Periodicals
Made up of more than 16,000 collections, the periodical collection mainly contains:
· Tunisian collections dating back to 1860, the publication date for d’ar-Raïd at-Tunsi (official journal)
· Arabic language collections
· Foreign language collections
Other materials
· Maps and postcards
· Audio, visual, and electronic materials
· Microfiches and microfilms
· Digitized material