National Library of Tunisia (Bibliothèque nationale de Tunisie المكتبة الوطنية التونسية)

Overview

The National Library of Tunisia (French: Bibliothèque nationale de Tunisie; Arabic: المكتبة الوطنية التونسية; abbreviated BNT) is Tunisia's national legal deposit and copyright library, responsible for collecting and preserving the nation's published works as mandated by law. It is a public institution under the Ministry of Culture, located in Tunis on the Boulevard du 9 Avril 1938, adjacent to the National Archives. The library's contemporary building is 46 meters tall with 14 floors and is one of the tallest and most prominent buildings in Tunis.

History and Founding

The library was founded on 8 March 1885 by decree under the name Bibliothèque française (French Library), at the direction of Ali III Bey, who ordered the creation of a comprehensive library initially drawing on collections donated by the directorate of public instruction and from the personal library of Charles-Joseph Tissot, former French consul to Tunisia. It was housed at 20 Souk El Attarine in the medina of Tunis. In 1910 part of the expanding collection moved to the former barracks of El Attarine, built by Hammouda Pasha in the early nineteenth century. Under the librarianship of Louis Barbeau, the institution was renamed the Bibliothèque publique de Tunis. Following Tunisian independence in 1956, efforts accelerated to build Arabic-language holdings, and the library took its current name in 1965. A 1967 decree charged it with gathering and preserving manuscripts from public libraries, mosques, and zaouïas. The institution relocated to its current modern building in 2005. Tunisia joined the international ISBN system in 1988, with the library serving as the national ISBN agency.

Collections and Holdings

The library holds approximately one million volumes, including manuscripts (some from the fifth century), printed materials, periodicals, non-print materials, and multimedia. The manuscript collection contains approximately 25,000 manuscripts, some dating to the eleventh century, gathered from across Tunisia, and is gradually being digitized for online access. The periodical holdings include approximately 10,000 current periodicals, more than two-thirds in Arabic. The library publishes the Tunisian National Bibliography quarterly with annual cumulation, covering all documents deposited in Tunisia since 1969.

Notable Materials Related to Journalism and Media

The National Library holds a comprehensive collection of Tunisian periodicals and newspapers, including historical press from the colonial and post-independence periods. The legal deposit function ensures that the library receives copies of all publications produced in Tunisia. The Periodicals and Digital Resources Room (177 seats, fourth floor) provides dedicated access to journals, maps, postcards, and electronic resources.

Access and Usage

The library is open Monday through Saturday 08:30–19:45, closed Sundays and public holidays. Six reading rooms serve different needs: a Manuscript Room (144 seats, researcher pass required), a General Reading Room (200 seats), a Periodicals and Digital Resources Room (177 seats), a Youth Section (over 7,000 titles), a Louis Braille Room for visually impaired readers, and a Lecture Hall and Exhibition Space. Permanent subscriptions are available for researchers; provisional subscriptions are available to the public.