Reading room

At the disposal of its visitors, the Reading Room contains essential tools for study and research in the Arabic language and the Islamic sciences: dictionaries, grammar books, encyclopaedias in various languages, historical and literary works covering the Arab-Muslim world, classical works of reference in Islamic Studies (Brockelmann, Caetani, Wensinck…) and atlases. The Qur’an Section, with several translations and some of the main Qur’an commentaries, and the Shiism Section, with important works from the Shiite tradition, are particularly utilized by researchers here.

In a wall display, the latest issues of the periodicals and newly catalogued acquisitions can be consulted. Users have easy access to the index of the theses presented by PISAI students and to the index of periodicals.

WIFI internet access is available in the room. Three computer terminals are available to consult PISAI’s library catalogue, which is always available for all users online.

Furthermore, on-site users have the possibility of accessing a number of electronic resources, including numerous specialised journals to which the Library subscribes, online access to the Second and Third Editions of Brill’s Encyclopaedia of Islam, and other resources.

Library users may copy a portion of Library materials within the limit of Copyright Law, for the purpose of private study or research.

See the Catalogue of the Reading Room