The Library
The first library on Islamic heritage
Ideo provides researchers and students with access to its library, which is considered to be one of the foremost in the world of Islamic studies. It contains more than 155,000 volumes, including almost 1,800 titles of specialist journals and periodicals covering all disciplines in the field of Islamology: Arabic language, Quran, exegesis, theology, law and jurisprudence, history, philosophy, Sufism, sciences, etc.
In addition, it offers more than 20,000 classical texts from the Arab-Muslim heritage, as well as numerous studies in Arabic and European languages, providing readers with access to the main body of contemporary research in Islamology. Many doctoral theses can also be consulted on site.
The IDEO library (or BIDEO) also offers its readers free access to its collection via its online catalogue.
Inaugurated in 2002, the current IDEO library building includes a large study room with computer workstations that can accommodate up to 30 people a day. It also houses the offices of the staff working in the library’s various departments: reception, cataloguing, IT, etc.
The library team
Management team
Catalogue Department Team
Dalal
Ibrahim
Amr
Mohamed
Khadija
BIDEO's acquisition policy
Arabic Books
Absolute priority is given to classical texts of Arabic culture, especially in the fields of the sources of religious thought, language, philosophy, theology, mysticism, general history, geography and science. We endeavour to acquire all ancient Arabic texts published throughout the Muslim world, from Morocco to India, as well as orientalist editions.
Among books by contemporary Arab authors, priority is given to texts and studies concerning current religious developments in the Muslim world, with all their social, cultural and political consequences. This priority does not exclude serious attention to contemporary Arabic literature and analyses of the current Egyptian political situation in the context of the Middle East.
Western books
The catalogues of specialised Western publishing houses are systematically scoured to acquire outstanding works in the various fields of orientalism and in disciplines linked upstream or downstream with Arab culture (e.g. texts and studies on the history of science, philosophy and theology in the Greek, Latin, Indian and Hebrew traditions).
Special attention is given to reflections of Christian theology on religions in general and Islam in particular. In addition, as part of research into inter-religious relations, the tools for working in Christian theology, exegesis and patrology are carefully updated.
Our partner libraries (partner diamond)
Internship opportunities
The library takes on trainees under agreements with library training centres. For further information,
please contact biblio@ideo-cairo.org
