National Library of the Kingdom of Morocco
National library of Morocco in Rabat
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The National Library of the Kingdom of Morocco (Arabic: المكتبة الوطنية للمملكة المغربية, romanized: Al-Maktabah al-Waṭanīyah lil-Mamlakah al-Maghribīyah; Standard Moroccan Tamazight: ⵜⴰⵙⴷⵍⵉⵙⵜ ⵜⴰⵏⴰⵎⵓⵔⵜ ⵏ ⵜⴳⵍⴷⵉⵜ ⵜⴰⵎⵔⵔⵓⴽⵉⵜ; French: Bibliothèque nationale du Royaume du Maroc, formerly Bibliothèque générale and Bibliothèque générale et Archives) is the national library of Morocco. It is located in Rabat and has a branch in Tetouan.[1][2]
| National Library of the Kingdom of Morocco | |
|---|---|
| المكتبة الوطنية للمملكة المغربية ⵜⴰⵙⴷⵍⵉⵙⵜ ⵜⴰⵏⴰⵎⵓⵔⵜ ⵏ ⵜⴳⵍⴷⵉⵜ ⵜⴰⵎⵔⵔⵓⴽⵉⵜ Bibliothèque nationale du Royaume du Maroc | |
| |
 National Library building in Rabat | |
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| 34°00′30″N 6°50′33″W | |
| Location | Rabat, Morocco |
| Established | 1924 |
Reference to legal mandate | Dahir (royal decree), 1926, establishing the library as a public institution; dahir of 11 November 2003, renaming it the National Library of the Kingdom of Morocco[1] |
| Branches | 1 (Tetouan) |
| Other information | |
| Director | Mohamed El Ferrane |
The institution originated as the Bibliothèque Générale, established in 1924. In 2003, it adopted its current name.[3]
History
The first national library in Morocco was founded in 1924. Following a dahir (royal decree) issued in 1926, it became a public establishment. In 1984, Muhammad Abu Khubza authored a library catalog for the Tetouan branch.[4]
The current building in Rabat-Agdal was designed by architects Rachid Andaloussi and Abdelouahed Mountassir of Casablanca and was inaugurated by King Mohammed VI on 15 October 2008.[5] Inspired by the square minarets of traditional Moroccan architecture, the building consists of a main structure and an adjoining tower, topped with a glass roof and decorated with modern Arabic calligraphy. It also includes a large courtyard and outdoor spaces used for cultural events and performances.[6]
