The YBZ Library is a realization of Izhak Ben-Zvi’s vision and serves as a center of knowledge in his fields of interest: the study of Jewish communities in the East, of the Land of Israel and its settlement, and of Jerusalem. YBZ’s library’s collections specialize in these areas and include a variety of textual and visual materials.
The Library holds approximately 100,000 books and dozens of academic and community journals in various languages. It also has a database of Jewish newspapers covering a wide range of geographical areas and historical periods. In addition, the Library also has thousands of original documents and manuscripts from different communities and about 150 scholarly collections endowed to the library by their owners.
YBZ also has a photo archive which holds hundreds of thousand of photos, family albums and professional collections, as well as an archive of maps of the Land of Israel (mainly from the modern period).
The Library is open to the general public, and serves scholars, students and tour guides who are interested in the history of Jerusalem, the Land of Israel, Jewish communities in the East, and genealogical research.
Library Services
The Library has two floors (approximately 800 sqm) which are open to the public. The first floor holds the books and publications pertaining to the Land of Israel and Jerusalem; publications related to Jewish communities in the East are on the second floor. The library offers users access to online academic databases.
The library has a study room for those wishing to converse when working. Throughout the library are work-stations, computers, photocopiers (which can be used for a fee) and a microfilm reader (microfilms do not circulate).
The Library staff catalogues and classifies books, journals and donations of special collections. An important part of the Library’s work – registration, translation, digitization, research, cataloguing and bibliographical assistance – is carried out by its devoted volunteers.
The Library also presents various exhibitions and offers tours and lectures (arranged in advance) about its collections and related research.
Reference and consultation services are offered free of charge and we will do our utmost to assist you in finding the material you need. Requests may be sent to library@ybz.org.il
Contact the library using this form
Opening Hours: Sun-Thurs., 9:00 – 15:00
Tel. 02-5398811
Address: The House of Women Pioneers, Yad Izhak Ben-Zvi, Ibn Gabirol 14, Jerusalem
Copies and purchase of digital items
Articles and books from the open stacks can be photocopied using the library’s photocopying machine or a digital camera, in accordance with copyright rules and regulations. For access to items and documents kept in the library’s closed stacks, please fill in this form:
Photocopying books, manuscripts and archival documents requires the Library authorization and will be carried out according to the following rates and regulations