The Old City Library/ Society of Old City Youth

The library was established in the year 2000 at the initiative of the management and the cultural committee of the Society of Old City Youth. The Cultural committee of the Society spared no efforts in its attempts to increase the number of existing books, including a “donate a book for me” campaign.

The modest library went through a series of development phases with the support of FHF which included large lists of various books, which helped the library make hugs strides towards becoming a public library that has a place on the map of Jerusalem libraries network.

The library holds more than 1300 books classified according to Dewee classification system. The books are diversified and include literary and scientific books, in addition to large encyclopedias and some periodicals. The contents of the library are divided among scientific subject matters and other subjects to meet the needs of the target groups (children, youth, and adults) and other library members. There are books in general knowledge, educational articles, religions, social, political, and economic sciences, literature such as poetry, novels, articles, in addition to history books.

Library objectives:

1. Encourage reading.
2. Develop linguistic skills.
3. Disseminate knowledge and raise awareness.
4. Support underprivileged students by providing reference books unaffordable for them.
5. Organize enhancement lessons and courses in curriculum subject matters for students with low marks, such as mathematics and science courses, as well as others.
6. Work and network with cultural centers and the network of Jerusalem libraries and participate in different events and activities.
   
7. Raise the cultural level for those who failed to finish their basic schooling.
8. Preserve the Arab cultural heritage of Jerusalem.
   

Library activities:

1. Ruwwad “Pioneers” program: aims at encouraging reading and includes contests and sessions of story reading, turning them into drama presentations in additions to skills of Arabic poetry reciting and chanting.
2. Ruwwad festival and the library magazine.
3. Counselling members of the society and raising their awareness to minimize the phenomena of school drop-outs.

Library needs:

1. Increasing the number of books and periodicals to meet the needs of the target group.
2. TV and VCR set, educational programs tapes and CDs, projector, microfilm, and microfiche.
3. Develop the children corner in the library.
4. A special corner for individuals with special needs with the help of technology.