From its inception in 2005, UMAM Documentation and Research (UMAM D&R) has striven to put its documentation and archival assets, which include periodicals, publications, written documents, audiovisual materials, and photos relating mainly to Lebanon and its recent history, at the disposal of whoever wishes to use them.
UMAM D&R is grounded in the belief that such assets have a role to play in informing and structuring public debates. Therefore, we conceived the establishment of this platform to give direct access to our physical catalogs, and to some digitized materials, as a necessary part of being a citizen archive.
UMAM Biblio exists in two versions: one in Arabic with Arabic content, and one in English with mainly English, but also some other language content. By nature, UMAM D&R’s archival collections are in continuous expansion, both its physical and digital holdings. Therefore, this platform is an ever-growing and changing project.
This updated edition of UMAM Biblio is dedicated to Lokman Slim, UMAM D&R’s co-founder and co-director who was assassinated in south Lebanon on 3 February 2021. His legacy lives on through our continued work.
Please see below for further information on the platform and how to access our collections.
How do I use UMAM Biblio?
UMAM Biblio exists in two versions: one in Arabic and one in English. While the Arabic version only contains material in Arabic, the English version also contains other languages, mainly French. Movement between the two versions can be done by clicking on “ضاد” or “EN” respectively at the top or side of the page.
UMAM Biblio is both a catalog and digital repository. This means that not all items listed on the platform are completely digitally available; this is for multiple reasons, including copyright issues as well as capacity limitations of UMAM D&R in digitizing its massive collection of materials (which is a continually ongoing process).
Therefore, if an item is listed on the platform but not in its full form, you will have to contact us to access the item. You are able to do so by sending us an email at [email protected] with the subject line “Request for Archive Access.” Please provide a few lines of information about you, your research, and the materials you are requesting. We are happy to and will do our best to facilitate your research, but please bear in mind we are a small, dedicated team, and therefore ask for your patience with us, particularly if your request is for many items.
It bears mentioning that our materials, if not digitized online, can only be consulted physically on site in UMAM D&R’s offices in Beirut, Lebanon. We are not able to lend items to be taken off-site. However, please contact us at the email address above and we can discuss if any steps can be taken to facilitate digital access to materials if you are not in Lebanon, but unfortunately no guarantees can be made in this regard.
How is UMAM Biblio organized?
Our collections are organized by item type into Books, Periodicals, Documents, Posters, Films, Digitized Films, Audio, and Photos. Within these categories, you are also able to filter results by elements such as by year, language (on the English version), and further sub-types of materials. You can also search by keywords, although the keyword tagging is in process and should not be considered complete. Some sections also allow you to filter by “Available as PDF,” meaning the item has been digitized and is available online. You can also search for specific terms in the search bar.
As UMAM D&R is a citizen archive, we have materials from collections that have been generously donated into our care; as relevant, the materials are also organized into these personal collections. UMAM D&R has also sourced and salvaged specific large archival collections, which can be seen under “Special Collections” at the top of the page: these include collections salvaged from Baalbek Studios, the Carlton Hotel, and others.
Are there fees to access the archive?
UMAM D&R is a non-profit organization that is doing its best to render access to its archives, both online and in-person, free of charge and open access to everyone. However, any financial support to help us continue our work is greatly appreciated: please reach out to us should this be the case.
I have or know of an archive looking for a home: does UMAM D&R accept donations?
Please reach out to us at [email protected] with “Interest in Archive Donation” in the title. We accept donations of archival collections on a case-by-case basis and would be happy to discuss this. If we collaborate and integrate the collection to our archives, the items will be tagged under the name of the collection and the name of the collector will be listed as a contributor; see below for a list of current archive contributors.
I am interested in interning with UMAM D&R’s archives, is this possible?
UMAM D&R does offer internships with its archives. Please contact us at [email protected], clearly stating “Interest in Internship” in the subject line.
