Public Libraries in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia are free cultural institutions that serve various segments of Saudi society with their resources and information. They house information materials encompassing all levels of culture.
Development of public libraries in Saudi Arabia
The establishment of public libraries in the Kingdom traces back to individual and community initiatives. One public library, Sheikh Abdulrahman al-Saadi Library, a public library in Unayzah City, was established in 1940. This was followed by the Rawdat Sudair Public Library, founded by Turki Bin Madi in 1957. Subsequent libraries were funded with books and resources, managed by their founders and local communities, and grew through donations.
Public libraries managed by non-official entities, such as charitable organizations, began to emerge around the same period, varying in the level of their services and activities. Examples include the King Abdulaziz Public Library in Riyadh, established in 1987 by King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud (then Crown Prince), and the library of the King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies in Riyadh, the capital. The center oversees two libraries: the main library, established in 1983, and the Children's Library, established in 1987.
This was followed by the establishment of government-run public libraries, initially managed independently by various government entities. In 1959, the Ministry of Knowledge (currently the Ministry of Education) assumed oversight of public libraries, becoming the first official authority to do so. As part of its responsibilities, the ministry established the General Administration of Libraries, through which public libraries were created across various regions of the Kingdom. Some libraries previously managed by individuals and communities were also incorporated under its administration.
In 2003, the management of public libraries was transferred to the Ministry of Culture and Information (at the time), which became responsible for over 80 percent of public libraries in the Kingdom, following forty-five years of oversight by the Ministry of Education. The management of public libraries is currently overseen by the Libraries Commission under the Ministry of Culture.
Endowment libraries in Saudi Arabia
The Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Dawah, and Guidance (formerly the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Endowments, Dawah, and Guidance) oversaw several public endowment libraries, which house original and reproduced manuscripts. These include:
The Arif Hikmat Library in al-Madinah al-Munawwarah was established in 1854 by Sheikh Ahmad Arif Hikmat. It was relocated to an independent wing within the King Abdulaziz Library in al-Madinah al-Munawwarah (now the King Abdulaziz Complex for Endowment Libraries) after originally being situated in the southeastern part of the Prophet’s Mosque.
The Makkah al-Mukarramah Library was first established by Sheikh Abbas Suleiman Qattan in 1950.
As-Salihiyyah Scientific Library in Unayzah was established by Mohammed Bin Othman al-Qadi in 1954.
Other entities have taken on the responsibility of managing libraries, such as the General Presidency for the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques, which oversees two libraries, and the King Abdulaziz Foundation, which manages the Darah Library in Riyadh.
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