Ancient Near East Library

Since January 1^st, 2020, the Assyriology and West Semitic collections have been consolidated into a single library, the Ancient Near East Library, which houses 37,000 printed volumes, 411 journal titles, supplemented by e-books and online databases—a collection well-suited for research on the Ancient Near East in the broadest sense.

Assyriology Collection

The Assyriology Library was founded in 1936 by Charles Fossey and houses a collection specializing in the history of the Ancient Near East, particularly cuneiform, Sumerian, and Assyro-Babylonian materials. A significant portion of the collection also covers Anatolia and Hittite, Hurrian, and Elamite studies. Archaeology of the Near East is represented to a lesser extent. The collections include various researchers’ archives, including that of François Thureau-Dangin.

West Semitic Studies Collection

The West Semitic Studies Library originated from the collection of the Institute of Semitic Studies, founded in 1930 and affiliated with the Collège de France in 1973. This is a collection specializing in Chamito-Semitic linguistics, West and South Semitic epigraphy, and the history and archaeology of the Near East, North Africa, and Ethiopia; a significant portion of the collection pertains to the study of the Hebrew Bible and the Qumran manuscripts. Included in its collections are the bequests of André Dupont-Sommer, Jean Starcky, Marcel Cohen, Maxime Rodinson, and André Caquot.

The library offers 65 workstations equipped with Wi-Fi, including two private study rooms and a group study room, all available by prior reservation.

In May 2021, the library received the “CollEx—Collections of Excellence” designation, awarded by the Collex-Persée scientific interest group. This designation recognizes research-level collections that are remarkable for their scope and originality and enables the designated library to participate in calls for projects involving researchers.

Access is restricted to faculty, researchers, and graduate students (master’s level and above), upon recommendation by their research advisor. Undergraduate students may be granted temporary access at the request of their professor.

The library card is issued upon presentation of proof of research and is valid for one year.

Access to the Collections

All collections are available for open access in the reading room.

Items may not be checked out.

Interlibrary Loan (ILL)

This service allows registered readers to borrow items from external libraries that are not available at the Collège de France. The Directorate of Libraries, Archives, and Collections (DBAC) at the Collège de France centralizes requests, and any reader wishing to obtain an item is invited to write to the following address:

Additional Services

• Copier/scanner (use of the copier is subject to compliance with copyright laws and the condition of the document), Wi-Fi internet access, computer stations for browsing catalogs and electronic resources.
• Information available by mail, email, or phone.

The works are listed in the Omnia catalog and, since 2010, in Sudoc .

Previous acquisition lists are available upon request by contacting the Ancient Near East Library:

List of works purchased on a long-term basis by the Collège de France Foundation for the IPOA libraries from the publisher Walter De Gruyter following a call for proposals:

• List of electronic resource acquisitions

The library is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.