Kuwait National Library...memory of nation

KUWAIT, Jan 9 (KUNA) -- Kuwait National Library stands as the country's living memory, preserving its history and intellectual heritage while serving as a key center for research and intellectual property protection.
The library was founded in 1923 as the Public Library during the rule of late Amir Sheikh Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and evolved through several names over the decades.
It later became the Library of Public Information in 1936, a name it retained until 1957.
Subsequently, it was known as the Main Information Library until 1962, then as the Main Public Library until 1966.
Afterward, it was renamed the Central Library until 1985, and later the State Central Library until 1994.
By Amiri Decree No. 52 of 1994, the library was established as the National Library of Kuwait at Al-Mubarakiyah School, before the late Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad inaugurated its landmark building on Arabian Gulf Street in 2011.
The library preserves national memory by collecting and documenting Kuwaiti, Arab, and Islamic heritage, preparing the unified national catalog, developing advanced information systems to support research, and assigning International Standard Book Numbers (ISBNs) to all publications issued in Kuwait.
The library's new building was designed to house more than one million volumes and currently contains tens of thousands of books, references, manuscripts, and periodicals.
Kuwait National Library launched the "Memory of a Nation" project to digitally preserve rare books, documents, stamps, and coins, ensuring protected and modern access to cultural heritage for researchers and the public. (end) star.ao