National Library and Archives of Iran (NLAI) سازمان اسناد و کتابخانه ملی ایران

Overview

The National Library and Archives of Iran (NLAI; Persian: سازمان اسناد و کتابخانه ملی ایران, Sazman-e Asnad va Ketabkhaneh-ye Melli-ye Iran) is Iran's central institution for collecting, preserving, and disseminating the nation's printed publications, manuscripts, periodicals, dissertations, and historical archives. It is the largest library in the Middle East, housing more than 15 million items in its collections, and operates twelve provincial branches across Iran.

History and Founding

The NLAI's origins trace to the Qajar era. In 1864, Iran's first modern library was established at the Dar ul-Funun educational institution. In 1897, a scientific society founded in Tehran created the National Scientific Library the following year. On September 14, 1937, the books of the Ma'arif Library were officially transferred to a new building and the institution was formally renamed the National Library of Iran. After the 1979 Islamic Revolution, the library was restructured and merged with the Library Service Center in 1982. In 1990, it was established as an independent organization under the direct supervision of the President of Iran. In 2002, the National Archives Organization merged with the National Library to form the current unified NLAI, which now operates across two distinct facilities: the National Library of Iran building and the National Archives of Iran building, both in Tehran.

Collections and Holdings

The NLAI holds approximately 4.3 million physical items and more than 5.7 million digitized resources. Collections include books, journals, non-book materials, rare manuscripts, and a large Islam Studies collection. The library houses Qajar-era maps (1789–1925), over 900,000 paper documents relating to Tehran's history, censuses, diplomatic correspondence, and judicial records. A dedicated Book and Documentary Heritage Museum of Iran showcases rare historical manuscripts including copies of the Quran and the Shahnameh. The NLAI publishes the Iranian National Bibliography and a Biannual Journal of Oral History Research. Digitized manuscripts and lithographs are accessible via the NLAI's online digital library portal.

Access and Usage

The library's reading rooms are open to members daily from 8am to 9pm, closing only four days a year. The manuscript division and archive building operate Sunday through Wednesday from 8am to 3:30pm. Foreign researchers may access materials with institutional or government identification. An online catalog (opac.nlai.ir) is available, though access may be restricted without an Iranian VPN.