Housed within the Authority's headquarters, the National Library was established in 1981 to serve as the pre-eminent repository of information for Abu Dhabi and the UAE. It soon became one of Abu Dhabi's cultural pillars and a popular public institution among the local community.
Its main objectives are collecting the harvest of Arab, Islamic and international thought, gathering information and data existing in Abu Dhabi and the UAE in addition to organizing the information to make it more accessible to the general public.
The National Library has become a favourable destination for intellectuals, researchers, scientists and students. It has amassed, over the years, a sizeable collection of books and periodicals in Arabic and English including books for children of all ages. It also has a dynamic exchange activity with other prominent libraries and cultural centres in the Arab world and Europe.
The Manuscripts Department is one of the National Library's most treasured possessions. It was established in 1988 in order to collect, preserve and display ancient Arab and Islamic manuscripts. To date, the National Library has approximately 4,000 manuscripts in the fields of literature, religion, science and arts. They are displayed in an equipped hall manned by paper conservators who protect the current collection and conserve new acquisitions.