Research Guides
Modern Middle East: Digitized Primary Sources: Vernacular Sources
If you have questions about using the resources linked below or are looking for other primary sources published in Arabic, Farsi, Turkish and Hebrew, contact the Near East Studies librarian Mary St. Germain. Also check out her Near East Studies research guide for additional sources.
News & Magazines
- al-Ahrām, 1876-2019
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Egypt’s most authoritative and influential newspaper - AlSharekh Archive / ارشيف المجلات الادبية والثقافية العربية:Database includes 200+ literary journals from from 23 Arab countries from late 19th onward
- Akis 1954-1967Digitized archive of the Turkish weekly political magazine
- Al-Musawwar Magazine Collection 1925-1930Issues of the Egyptian illustrated magazines. Part of the American University in Cairo Digital Library.
- al-Quds 1908-1914Palestinian newspaper published in Jerusalem
- Al-ĀdĀb 1953-2012Literary and cultural magazine published in Beirut covering "political thought, poetry, short stories, movies criticism, theater, and general culture mainly in the Arab World." Part of the American University in Lebanon Digital Collections.
- Ankara University Newspaper CollectionSelection of digitized newspapers such as Akşam
- Hakkı Tarık Us CollectionFull text archive of Ottoman periodicals. Requires DjVU plugin.
- Historical Jewish PressCollection of newspapers include those published in Israel as well as elsewhere in English, Hebrew, Ladino, Yiddish & other languages. Examples: Palestine Bulletin (1925-1932) and HaAretz (1918-2019)
- Iraqi National Library and Archives Periodicals and NewspaperSmall collection include Al-Iraq 1920-1922 & its predecessor Al-Arab (1917-1920). Part of the World Digital Library.
- Middle Eastern & North African NewspapersA growing collection of newspapers primarily in Arabic with some English titles such as the Baghdad Times. Scattered years only.
- Nashriyah: digital Iranian history / آرشیو آنلاین نشریات دانشگاه منچسترDigitized Iranian newspapers & magazines from three pivotal eras: 1953, 1979 & the late 1990s/early 2000s
- Pazartesi 1995-2005Issues of the Turkish feminist magazine. Also includes some late 1980s issues of Feminist & Kaktus
- Periodical collection of the al-Aqsa Mosque Library"Collection consists of 13 newspapers and 11 magazines published mainly in Palestine, but also in Syria and Turkey, between 1874 and 1955." Part of the Endangered Archives Programme.
- TranslatioDigitized Arabic, Persian & Ottoman-Turkish periodicals dating from 1860-1945
Digitized Books & Manuscripts
- Arabic Collections OnlineDigital library of more than 14,000 public domain Arabic language books covering all subjects
- Hebrew Books50,000 digitzed books primarily covering Jewish philosophy & theology
- Manuscripts of the Muslim WorldGrowing collection of Arabic & Persian manuscripts dating from 1000 to 1900
- MENALIB: Middle East Virtual Library3000+ digitized books dating from the 17th through 21st century with most material dating from 1850 to 1950; approximately 1200 in Arabic with others in German & other languages
- Shamela6000+ Arabic books most dealing with religious topics
Other
- Asnad.org: Digital Persian ArchiveSearchable collection of Persian historical documents from Iran and Central Asia up to the 20th Century
- Dergi ParkCollection of Turkish journals sort of similar to JSTOR
- Eltaher Collection2000+ items (majority in Arabic) that document the history of the Arab world from 1912 to 1974, from the collection Palestinian Arab journalist Muhammad Ali Eltaher (1896-1974).
- Emir Farid Chehab CollectionNearly 2,000 letters, documents, and reports related to "Lebanese history and developments across the Middle East in the 20th century." Part of the Wilson Center's Digital Archive.
- Ghani Collection"A rich collection of documents in Persian of the Qajar period (1785-1925)."
- History of Serial Novels in Turkish Literature (1831-1928)Serialized novels in Arabic newspapers
- Iranian Oral History Project100+ interviews of eyewitnesses to important political events in Iran from the 1920s to the 1980s (most in Persian)
- Ircica Farabi Digital LibraryIncludes Ottoman periodicals, maps, historical photographs, Turkish state yearbooks & more. Registration required.
- Islamic Heritage ProjectDigital collection of hundreds of Islamic manuscripts, maps & published texts dating from the 13th to 20th centuries
- Israel's Foreign Policy - Historical DocumentsCollection of Ministry of Foreign Affairs documents dating from 1947 to 2005.
- Memory of KuwaitDigitized materials from the National Library of Kuwait
- Middle East Women’s Activism"Middle East Women’s Activism digital archive is a collection of interviews with 96 women of different generations in Egypt, Jordan and Lebanon."
- National Library of Iran Digital CollectionsCollections include manuscripts, newspapers, photographs & more
- Women's Worlds in Qajar IranCollection of personal papers, manuscripts, photographs & more for the period 1796 to 1925