Library exhibitions, both online and physical, give an idea of the breadth of our collections.

Overview of databases, reference works and websites for research in Middle Eastern Studies

The G.W.J. Drewes Fund was invoked to celebrate the transfer of the scholarly legacy of Professor Drewes to the UBL and to mark the opening of the Asia Library in the University Library at the Witte Singel. The fund provides financial support to one or more fellowships at the Scaliger Institute. The…

The Juynboll Foundation and the Scaliger Institute of Leiden University Libraries have founded a collaborative fellowship program to enable one or two scholars to study the Arabic and Islam special collections of Leiden University Libraries. The allowance is € 1,500 per month.

Overview of databases, reference works and website for research in the History of Science

Leiden University Libraries has been elected to the Executive Committee of the IIIF Consortium. The term of office is two years starting from January 2022.

The South Asian and Tibetan special collections provide material pertaining to the languages, histories, philosophies, art and material cultures of the region. The focus lies on Sanskrit, Tibetan, Lepcha, and Buddhism, but the collections also hold rich visual material for educational and academic purposes…

There are several excellent options for teachers and researchers to engage students and other audiences with primary sources. Either by requesting items from the Special Collections for use during lectures or by integrating our educational resources into your lesson plans.

The Southeast Asian Special Collections contain text and audiovisual materials pertaining to the languages, histories, philosophies, religions, literatures, and (material) art of the region. The focus lies on the Malay world, in particular on the Nederlands-Indies/Indonesia. Apart from books and periodicals…

Overview of databases, reference works and websites for research in English language and culture.

Overview of databases, reference works and websites in western languages for research in Comparative Philosophy

The UBL holds five sets of manuscripts recognised by UNESCO as documents of universal value and exceptional significance to the world. They are included in UNESCO's International World Heritage list of documents (Memory of the World Register).

In the UBL podcast Leiden University lecturers, professors and other experts talk about their research based on items from the Special Collections.

The fellowship programs support researchers who are interested in doing research using the special collections.

Overview of databases, reference works and websites for research in Italian Language and Culture

The research suggestions below may be suitable for a bachelor's or master's thesis or can be used as additional source material in ongoing research.

Overview of databases, reference works and websites for research in French language and culture.

Special visit of seven ambassadors of the Arabic-speaking world to the University Library

The Asian special collections comprise tens of thousands of rare books, thousands of manuscripts, maps, prints, drawings and photographs, and hundreds of archives.

Your support enables the UBL to continue fulfilling its role for the Leiden University community. You can make a one-off donation or make donations on a periodical basis. Gifts can made for the library as a whole, or for a designated project, the purchase of a subject collection or the…

The special collections from Japan and Korea are located at the central library building at Witte Singel, where it forms a part of the Asian Library.

With support of several publishers and private foundations, Leiden University Libraries (UBL) and the Scaliger Institute welcome around 15 to 20 Fellows and guests per year to consult and research materials from our Special Collections. The Scaliger Institute received applications this year from domestic…

An evening program in the University Library and Middle Eastern Library in Leiden for everyone who has something to do with the Middle East; from Tajikistan to the Mahreb and from Istanbul to Sanaa. View the oldest books and clay tablets from the collection and listen to the most fascinating stories…

Digital Collections contains over 500,000 digitized primary sources, reference works and digital born materials held by Leiden University Libraries. In this repository you will find digital facsimiles of prints, drawings, photographs, maps and archival documents; digital facsimiles of manuscript books…

The special collections of Leiden University Libraries offer access to worldwide known valuable, rare, and unique materials. The collections are actively complemented and made accessible for research and education.

UBL has assigned a Subject Librarian or Medical Information Specialist to each department and program who provides in-depth assistance for researchers and teachers

More than 2000 objects from the Middle Eastern collection at Leiden University Libraries (UBL) have been made available online through Digital Collections. These collections mostly consist of written works in Arabic, Persian, Turkish, Hebrew, Aramaic, and Syriac, but also contain printed works and the…

Lecture, Studium Generale

UBL's collection exists to a large extent thanks to donations and financial support from private donors and funds.

The Special Collections of Leiden University Libraries contain a world-renowned and vast collection of old prints, manuscripts, archives, prints, drawings and photography. Our collections are accessible to Leiden researchers and students, as well as external researchers and other interested parties.

On Thursday, May 16, Leiden University Libraries is organizing a workshop on early photography of the Middle East. In the workshop, curator Maartje van den Heuvel shows photos of three adventurous Dutch nineteenth-century travel and photography pioneers. They created beautiful photos and photo albums…

Use LUCRIS and Scholarly Publications to share, promote, and store your publications.

The Chinese Special Collections are part of the Asian Library. Items can be consulted at the Special Collections Reading Room.