The Library and Documentation Center

The Roberta and Stanley Bogen Library and Documentation Center of the Truman Institute is unique among the libraries of Israel and, indeed, among the libraries of the Middle East. Its collections focus on the regions of the non-Western world—Africa, Latin America, Asia, and the Middle East—the latter two regions in particular. With more than 1,500 periodicals—journals, daily newspapers, yearbooks, and governmental, organizational, banking, and other statistical data—it is an important center that attracts researchers from around the world. In fact, many of the Truman Institute’s visiting scholars come specifically to use the library’s excellent resources, which are now also available via the Internet. 

Despite cutbacks the library remains a meeting point for scholars and professionals from various backgrounds and different parts of the world to study and exchange ideas, establishing contacts that form the basis of peace. The library’s policy of free dissemination of information strengthens the desire for peace and democracy, particularly when many of its patrons come from areas of the world where academic freedom is limited.

We subscribe to publications that deal specifically with the areas of interest to the Institute, among them, Jordan and the PA. A renowned and major collection of material about and by the Palestinians, mainly in Arabic and English, is maintained. This material includes publications by other research institutes in Jerusalem and the West Bank, current dailies and weeklies from Jerusalem and the PA, and a large collection of books in Arabic on the Arab-Israeli conflict. An ever-growing collection of Arabic newspapers is being catalogued. Palestinian interest in the library’s material is particularly notable. There is also a special collection of Arab textbooks from Jordan, Egypt, Syria, Lebanon and Iraq from the 1970’s that constitutes an exceptional source for researchers.  Amnon Ben-Arieh is  the library’s Middle East specialist and responsible for material in Arabic.

There is a significant collection of Chinese and Japanese material, and the library holds a complete set of the Japan Times, Japan’s main English-language newspaper, dating back to March 1897. Personal archives donated by former diplomats and researchers on issues concerning the Middle East and Asia are classified and filed under a subject index. An important collection of newspaper clippings from the Israeli press concerning African-Israeli relations supplements a large collection of African periodicals. Also well represented are periodicals on Latin American affairs which are used by scholars from all over Israel.

Additional resources include the Salomon Collection of about 2.500 books on war and peace, an important source for the period leading to World War I, its aftermath and the period between the two world wars; an extensive collection of development plans from developing countries in print and microform and reports on developing countries by Israeli technical assistance experts.

Most articles in the periodicals received by the Truman Institute’s library are indexed and entered in the online database that is part of the computerized catalog which can be accessed via the Internet. Truman collections are now part of the general catalogue of the Hebrew University libraries.

http://aleph500.huji.ac.il/F/JSSTRGH98H2C71LYLMMVET3QBY5L392DDMY5U6B7U4J59H9X1G-02618?func=file&file_name=find-b&local_base=hujtr

The library subscribes to the World News Connection (formerly Foreign Broadcasts Information Service), a translation to English of non US worldwide media sources.

A generous donation from Board member Stanley Bogen is part of the endowment to ensure the long-term functioning of the library.

Library opening hours: 10am to 3 pm Sunday to Thursday

Photocopying service is available on the premise.

Sheila Joel, Librarian

 email: Sheilaj@savion.huji.ac.il

Tel. 02 5882313