Library, Museum and Documentation Center of Iran Parliament ICAL (کتابخانه مجلس)

History and Founding

The Library of the Iranian Parliament (Majlis) traces its origins to 1909, coinciding with the early years of the Constitutional Revolution and the establishment of Iran's first modern parliament. Following the Islamic Revolution, a Library Charter was ratified in 1995, formalizing the institution as an independent entity under the name Islamic Consultative Assembly Library, Museum, and Documentation Center (ICAL). The institution is located near Baharestan Square in central Tehran, in the same neighborhood where the first Majlis convened in 1906.

Collections and Holdings

ICAL maintains a substantial and diverse collection oriented toward Iran's parliamentary and legislative history. Holdings include approximately 23,000 manuscript volumes, 12 million national and historical documents, 10,000 historical photographs, 90 old maps, 300 microfilms of old Iranian periodicals, and an Iranology library with specialized collections on Iranian and Islamic history in European and Middle Eastern languages. The Museum component comprises 192 Iranian paintings, 576 gifts presented by foreign dignitaries to speakers of the Islamic Consultative Assembly, and various antiques. The Library also serves as a United Nations documents depository.

Notable Materials Related to Journalism and Media

ICAL holds a digitized collection of old and new Iranian newspapers, accessible at its on-site reading facilities. Its holdings include microfilms of historical Iranian periodicals and extensive documentation of parliamentary proceedings from the earliest sessions of the Majlis to the present. The collection provides a significant resource for research into Iranian media history, political journalism, and legislative communication.

Access and Usage

Access requires membership registration and valid academic or identification credentials. Foreign researchers are typically welcome and may request scans of archival documents. The institution provides bibliographic services, audio-visual services, scanning, and photocopy services to other libraries and researchers. The Library has a second specialized collection branch for Iranian, Islamic, and Oriental studies.