The Manuscripts Platform is a unified digital platform that collects and provides access to digitized manuscripts. Launched by the Libraries Commission in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, it features historical manuscripts rich in science and knowledge. The platform was announced on Arabic Manuscript Day on April 4, 2024.
Contents of the Manuscripts Platform
The Manuscripts Platform was launched through collaboration between the Saudi Ministry of Culture, represented by the Libraries Commission, and third-sector institutions as well as various libraries. At its initial stage, the platform includes approximately five thousand full-text manuscripts and aims to make all manuscripts available digitally. The Kingdom holds over 160,000 manuscripts, constituting around 27 percent of the total manuscripts in the Arab world. The platform has been considered a national priority project since the establishment of the Libraries Commission. Previously, the platform project won the Outstanding Project Award presented by the Arab Federation for Libraries and Information in November 2023.
As part of the Libraries Commission's collaboration with relevant entities, a hosting memorandum was signed with the King Fahd National Library on December 21, 2020, at the commission’s headquarters in Riyadh. The library is committed to providing a collection of digitized manuscripts on the platform. This initiative aims to foster collaboration with libraries and individuals possessing original manuscripts, create digital copies, and make them accessible to users through a unified electronic platform. Additionally, it seeks to establish a database of original manuscripts in the Kingdom for preservation, support researchers, and enhance the research environment by providing official channels for accessing the information contained in the manuscripts.
Establishment of the Manuscripts Platform
The Manuscripts Platform was established on the "Culture Gateway" website, a digital portal for Saudi culture dedicated to preserving and promoting the Kingdom's cultural heritage through a unified digital platform. It is also accessible via the official website of the Libraries Commission. The Manuscripts Platform focuses on providing access to manuscripts of historical value, reflecting deep-rooted authenticity and a unique cultural identity.
Saudi Arabia's interest in manuscripts
The Kingdom places importance on the manuscript sector, focusing on their collection, verification, restoration, cataloging, and preservation. A Royal Decree issued on August 14, 2001, approved the Law of Protection of Heritage Manuscript, implemented by the King Fahd National Library. The Kingdom has also established independent manuscript sections in most libraries and created restoration and maintenance labs equipped with modern technologies. Mobile labs have been made available to preserve manuscripts across the Kingdom. Furthermore, the Kingdom encourages the verification and publication of manuscripts by supporting postgraduate programs in universities and providing automated access to manuscript catalogs for all researchers both within and outside the Kingdom.
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