Mission Statement

The University Libraries embrace the mission of the University in supporting excellence in education and research and in serving the peoples of the Middle East and beyond.

The Libraries select, organize, maintain, preserve and provide access to resources in all formats necessary to support the educational mission of AUB. They teach the effective use and the critical evaluation of information resources and capitalize on innovative technologies to foster intellectual growth. They partner with all schools, faculties and research institutes in the University and respond to users’ changing needs by continual evaluation of user expectations, and active promotion of collections and services.

The Libraries serve primarily the students, faculty, administration, staff and alumni of the University. They also engage and interact with broader communities, where possible, given their material and human resources.

About the Libraries

The AUB library system includes two main libraries: the University Libraries and the Saab Memorial Medical Library.

The University Libraries include the Jafet Memorial Library as the central library with two branches: the Engineering/Architecture Library and the Science/Agriculture Library with its annex AREC (Farm) Library.

The Libraries have a long history in Lebanon and in the region which is very much reflected in the rich collections that they own.

The collections consist of 599,382 volumes, growing at the rate of 11,000 volumes of monographs annually, and 2,295 periodical titles, of which 207 are in Arabic. Access is provided to about 34,306 electronic journals in 109 databases. There are about 1,127,783 audiovisual items of all formats, the majority of which are microforms of a substantial number of local and regional journals and newspapers going back to the early 20th century. The Archives and Special Collections contain 1,398 manuscripts some of which have been appraised as museum pieces, 10,867 volumes of theses, projects and dissertations going back to 1907, 3,491 posters and 1,863 maps, as well as 39,972 photographs, of a unique and historical nature.

These print and electronic collections are developed and enriched on a regular basis to support the academic and research program of the university.

The Libraries are fully automated and many of their resources, databases, electronic books and references are remotely accessible, providing a modern and virtual environment that is conducive to research. They are equipped with a state-of-the-art electronic classroom and computer labs. Secure and reliable wireless connections are available in all the libraries.

The Libraries provide customized reference and instruction services through e-mails, walk-ins and in classes in an active program of user education which promotes a culture of information literacy at all levels.

Researchers from Lebanon, the region and beyond continuously seek the University Libraries for their unique, rich and historical collections, particularly on Lebanon and the Middle East.

The University Libraries open a total of 90 hours per week. They can be accessed at: http://www.aub.edu.lb/~webjafet

• Jafet
• Engineering and Architecture
• Science and Agriculture
• Historical Background
• Jafet Memorial Library
• Nami Jafet
• The Beginning
• The Library Buildings
• Historical Review
• Major Donors