The Jerba Libraries Project: Preserving Endangered Manuscripts and Early Arabic Print Materials in Private Libraries in Jerba, Tunisia

Private libraries in Djerba (Tunisia) contain a variety of material which would offer scholars, local families, and institutions a window into the island’s past. However, held in private collection, this important heritage is at risk of degrading or being discarded by its owners.

Djerba is home to dozens of small to medium sized Arabic manuscript and early-print libraries. These include medieval manuscripts held in private collections, as well as more recent manuscripts from the 16th-20th centuries and early print Arabic books held in mosque collections. These collections house religious and scientific texts brought to the island from across the Mediterranean and beyond. The communities associated with these texts are diverse, including Sunni Muslims as well as the island’s minority Ibadi Muslim and Jewish communities.

Both climatic and human factors endanger the collections. Over the past several years, collections have degraded due to humidity and heat, as well as insects and pests. Moreover, some owners have discarded the collections, no longer being able to preserve them.

Stemming from a previous pilot survey project in 2018, this project aimed to digitise seven libraries in Djerba. Due to the pandemic, the scope of the project was reduced to three of the biggest libraries and one small family collection. Nonetheless, 634 items were digitised, with over 120,000 images created. The project created great excitement amongst collectors in the island, and a team of skilled manuscript specialists was created to continue the digitisation efforts after the end of the project.

Project Details


Location: Tunisia, Northern Africa, Africa Organiser(s): Endangered Archives Programme (EAP) Project partner(s): Centre d'Etudes et de Recherche sur I'Ibadisme (Ibadica) Funder(s): Arcadia Funding received: £48,397 Commencement Date: 08/2019 Project Status: Completed
Project owner? Update this project



Related Projects

Arcadia Logo high res

Documenting the contemporary history of science in India

To collect, preserve and make available online endangered cultural artefacts related to the contemporary (~200 years) history of science in South Asia. It will also develop a …

Explore project
Arcadia Logo high res

Digital Preservation of Kerala Archives

To survey and digitize some of the most important collections of palm-leaf manuscripts in the Thrissur and Ernakulam districts, Kerala, India in both institutional and family …

Explore project
Arcadia Logo high res

Mapping Archaeological Pre-Columbian Heritage in South America

To produce an integrated public access database for the pre-Columbian archaeological heritage of South America, focussing on Brazil and Colombia.

Explore project