The Sarah and Yaacov Eshel Peace Library at Givat Haviva The Sarah and Yaacov Eshel Peace Library at Givat Haviva was dedicated in an impressive ceremony in March 2001. The library at Givat Haviva is unique in terms of its special collections and the public it serves. Run by Jewish and Arab professionals, the library incorporates under one roof different collections which, prior to the opening, had been scattered throughout the Givat Haviva campus. The library is the vastest repository of materials about the Israeli Arabs, and houses and maintains a number of unique collections in this regard: Among the collections is a one-of-a-kind archive of Arab press (in Arabic), material published in mandatory Palestine and the State of Israel from the 1920’s till today. The archive is used often by students and researchers from around the country and worldwide, who are lured by its uniqueness. This collection requires urgent conversion to a digitized mode, which in turn – eventually – may lead to posting of the full text online. Another unparalleled collection in this realm is the largest reservoir in Israel of materials on the Palestinians and Arabs citizens of the State, including rare and unique materials. This active collection consists of documents, articles and press clippings (main core). Divided into 900+ subjects and sub-subjects, it aspires to cover all aspects of Arab society and life in the State of Israel. It holds materials in Hebrew, Arabic and English and is growing daily. This collection requires urgent conversion to a digitized mode as well. The newest collection (under construction) is the first ever index of articles from Arabic periodicals. This searchable database concentrate on the main publications dealing with the Israeli Arabs and the Middle East conflict. Available resources will dictate the future scope of this database, its evolvement, and its availability to the public online. Other significant collections are: The Central Collection, created some 50 years ago, which includes books and periodicals dealing with education, psychology and sociology, Judaism, Zionism and the Land of Israel, the Labor Movement in Israel and around the world, and the Kibbutz Movement. The library of the Moreshet Institute for Holocaust Study and Research, containing numerous books, albums, original documents and written testimonies relating to the Holocaust. Each week the library receives numerous inquiries from individual researchers from Israel and abroad seeking specific information, which can only be found in the library’s unique collections. Loyal to its name, the Peace Library serves free to all as a major gateway to a clientele from multi-cultural backgrounds: • Advanced degrees students, Israeli and foreign researchers • Israeli IDF Soldiers on special Matriculation Programs • Jewish and Arab college students from the numerous villages and towns in the local region • Participants in the One-Year Arabic Language and Culture Course • Students of the Givat Haviva Arts Center and Open University branch at Givat Haviva • Participants in Teacher Enrichment Courses and Programs • The general public Altogether the library houses approximately 70,000 titles, as well as 400 different journals in various languages. Most of the books and other resources have been catalogued in the computer system and the information is organized and available for many different uses. In addition, the library offers its patrons free access to online resources such as the Internet, IHP (Haifa Index for Hebrew Periodicals), and various databases. Sincerely, Samira Mahammid Library Director