alKitb

alKitb is a nonprofit digital library and research platform devoted to Arabic-language manuscripts and literary works. It operates as a global network linking libraries, universities, and cultural organizations to preserve, digitize, and provide scholarly access to a broad corpus spanning medieval to contemporary Arabic texts.

History: The project was launched in 2012 by an international consortium of libraries and academic institutions seeking to safeguard rare manuscripts threatened by physical decay and to expand access to Arabic scholarship. It began with a pilot digitization program in Cairo and gradually broadened to partners in Beirut, Madrid, London, and Istanbul, among others.

Collections and content: alKitb hosts digitized manuscripts, early printed books, periodicals, and modern Arabic literature. Materials are digitized to high resolution, described with standardized metadata, and delivered via IIIF-compliant image streams. Transcriptions and translations, where available, are encoded in TEI, with scholarly annotations and search-friendly English and Arabic metadata.

Access and use: The platform emphasizes open access for research and education. Many items are available under Creative Commons licenses or public-domain status, with some high-resolution images restricted to partner institutions. Users can search across languages, download metadata, and access an API for research projects.

Governance and funding: alKitb is governed by an international board comprising librarians, scholars, and cultural sector representatives. It is funded through grants, deposits from partner institutions, and philanthropic support, supplemented by occasional public funding and sponsorship programs.

Impact: Since its inception, alKitb has become a key resource for researchers of Arabic literature, Islamic studies, and manuscript studies, contributing to preservation efforts and enabling digital scholarship. It continues to expand its collections and international partnerships.