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The knowledge-giving sun of Islam dawned with the message of reading, recitation, understanding and wisdom. Its rays enlightened the whole world that was assailed by ignorance, superstitions, anti-science and book burning. It thus prepared the human society for a knowledgeable and wise life. The knowledge fostering tenants of this school of thought such as the inequality between knowledgeable and ignorant, the value of science and scholars, the superiority of a scholar’s pen over a martyr’s blood, respect for scholars and writers, the sanctity of book and that which is written, reflection and pondering in the universe and Creation, motivated many human beings to pursue knowledge with indescribable enthusiasm in face of many difficulties.
 
   
   
   
   
   
   
 
 
 
In short, the scientific investigations of Muslim scholars bore fruit and showed itself throughout the Islamic Realm. Formalized schools and scientific centers were set up, discussion and teaching circles were formed, many books were written and great libraries were founded. Thus, the foundation of Islamic culture and civilization was laid.
 In the light of the teachings of Islam life-giving school of thought, Iranians –long known for their curiosity and wisdom- increased their scientific efforts. They left enduring works in various fields of Islamic science and founded rich and comprehensive libraries in all parts of the Islamic Homeland, each an indication of the exhausting hardships endured by wise scholars.
Islamic Consultative Assembly (Majlis) Library, Museum and Documentation Center is also one of Iran’s great and vast treasures. It had constantly adorned the "Home of Nation" with the attributes such as wisdom, knowledge and art. The idea for establishing such a library was formed in the very first days of the victory of Iranian Constitutional movement and formation of the legislative branch. A location and some books were earmarked for it. For many years, however, it did not go further than a few shelves and saw limited use. In 1915, the Majlis Library officially took up its broad mandate with renewed activity.
Since then, this scientific and cultural center had experienced growth and progress. It has now come to be regarded as a rich treasure house –especially in Iranian and oriental studies. This is something that had been emphasized enthusiastically by the thinkers visiting from other countries who have been impressed by this quality.
Following the victory of the Islamic Revolution, the hiatus and lull that had befallen the library for several months was broken through the encouragement of late martyred Professor Mortedha Motahari, a sagacious scholar and thinker in his own right. By discussing the situation of [Majlis] library with the late Imam Khomeini, he revived it. The favors bestowed by his eminence the Leader of Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Khamenei - who is an avid reader- had always proven effective in furtherance of Library scientific and cultural aims as well as encouraging its staff.
A brief look at the formation and development of Majlis Library, museum and documentation center demonstrates that since its beginning, it has passed through stages to make out itself as a rare treasure house. These stages could be recounted as follows:
  1. Establishment and inauguration
  2. Relocation to the present building
  3. Islamic Revolution
  4. Updating and upgrading
Each stage has its share of positive and commendable measures, contributing to the establishment, development and enrichment of library, museum and documentation center. When I took office in 1998, following a period of contemplation and review of its raison d’être, course of evolvement and development, I concluded that with each passing day new fragrant flowers were planted in this garden, giving rise to a rich treasure house with the march of time. Nevertheless, the very productivity and delivery of services had become more difficult and complex with the enrichment of the collection. Thus, measures were taken to upgrade acquisition, resource cataloging, equipments and facilities. Setting up of the computer site and information center, establishment of development and planning division, expansion of the research and training center, planning for optimum utilization of the available space, and paying attention to modern systems are among the measures undertaken. All these had been made possible through the efforts of our perceptive and dedicated colleagues and staff in the library. It is the harbinger of a new era that could be called the "age of updating". It is the beginning for outfitting this cultural center with modern tools and capabilities, such as scientific preservation of resources and delivery of services; providing scholars and interested patrons with a better atmosphere and more advanced facilities to benefit from these rich resources.
It is hoped that the pace of upgrading would go unabated, and the books, publications, documents and objects of this vast cultural repository be better preserved through provision of better holding areas. So that they could be furnished easier to the researchers and be held in trust for the future generations who would receive it.
Since it would be the duty of the trustees and managers of this priceless cultural treasure house, to describe it, we decided to present a brief historical sketch of the structure, collections and components Majlis Library, museum and documentation center.
In the end, I thank all my dear colleagues in Majlis Library, museum and documentation center for their unsparing cooperation, especially Mr. Abulfazl Tarighehdar.
 
Seyed Muhammad Ali Ahmadi Abhari
Superintendent
Library, Museum and Documentation Center
Islamic Consultative Assembly
2000
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FIRST STAGE: Establishment and Inauguration

Arbab Keykhosrow, the representative for the Zoroastrian minority to the second term of Majlis, had been the originator of the library. Two years after the victory of the constitutional revolution, i.e. in 1909, he presented the bill to Majlis, and the "Library Department" was taken into consideration in the internal regulation of the National Consultative Assembly ratified in January 7th, 1909.
Arbab Keykhosrow made in significant contribution towards carrying out the initial stages of setting up, collection of books and determining a place of holding and the temporary library space. His notes indicate that he had personally overseen the initial shelve arrangement of the books by alphabetical order as well as their numbering and making a list of them
Available documents and information demonstrate that Arbab Keykhosrow Shahrokh, assisted by some of the progressive Majlis representatives such as Dr. Reza Afshar, Sheikh Ebrahim Zanjani and Seyyed Nasrullah Taghavi, had exerted much efforts in making preparations for establishment of Majlis library. Ehtesham ul Saltaneh, Mahmood Alamir and Muhammad Ali Zaka ul Molk Forooghi were also among the founders.
Before its official inauguration, the library books were held in several wooden shelves, in two connecting rooms situated in the eastern part of the pool house.
In 1923, some efforts were made towards establishing the library, which made results. The library was relocated from its temporary place to a building built for the library that was situated east of Majlis. After relocation and settling down, it was finally inaugurated officially in 1925. The building itself, had been part of the private quarters of Hussein Khan Sepahsalar’s house. Following the requisition of the house and its garden by Nasseredin Shah, [The Qajar King] presented it first as a gift to his favorite wife, Anis ul doleh. Following her death, it was presented to Azizul Soltan Sardar (Malijak) who in turn sold it to Assadullah Kurdestani. Acting on a motion forwarded by Ayatullah Seyyed Hassan Modaress, Majlis purchased it from Assadulah Kurdestani from the proceeds of levies, and earmarked a portion of it – that was used to be a coach house and stable- for the library. This part was remodeled into library by Jafarkhan Memar Kashani who later served as the architect for Majlis building.

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Manner of Collecting Books during the First Stage
At first some books were either bought sporadically or donated by publishers and authors from Iran and abroad. Then 202 books were purchased from Mirza Abulhassan Jelveh. These books, along with the 1091 volumes belonging to Ehtesham ul Saltaneh Mahmood Alamir (Majlis Speaker during first and second terms) donated by Mukhber ul Saltaneh Hedayat, formed the initial core of Majlis Library.
There is a note at hand from Arbab Keykhosrow that describe how the initial books were obtained:
Upon my return from Europe, I resumed sorting out the library. Fortunately, his Excellency Mr. Haj Seyyed Nassrullah Taghavi who served as the representative of Tehran people during the past two terms of Majlis was aware of my intention. He had heard that a large number of Mirza Jelveh’s books, most of them being manuscripts, are up for sale. He informed me. I bought at a reasonable price two hundred and two books in Persian and Arabic language through him, of which one hundred and five volumes were manuscripts and sixty-seven, were printed. Secondly since Mr. Ehtesham Saltaneh had entrusted Mr. Mokhber ul Saltaneh with books to be bequeathed whenever a library is established in Tehran, I visited Mr. Mokhber ul Saltaneh in the company of his excellency Haj Seyed Nassrulah and requested those books and received one thousand and ninety-one books. The rudiments of the library thus established I started on arranging for the holding area and the library establishment.
 
Although due to the recess of Majlis, and extension of the plebiscite, lack of assignment and other obstacles, I did not succeed to make a special building for library; I did not lose heart because of the works humble beginnings. And although there had been no example of the manner of how a library is set up at hand in this country, nevertheless I tried as far as I could and endured hardships to succeed to the degree you are presently witnessing. I would like to express my gratitude to the sagacious pure-spirits of Mr. Zaka ul molk, Mr. Mirza Seyed Hassan Khanpour and his Excellency Mr. Haji Mirza Aghakhan who extended me their assistance as necessary in this path.
Books presently made available which I have sorted and made lists for in their respective language and number in one thousand, three hundred and sixty-five
 volumes are as follows:
    1. Persian books 183 volumes
    2. Arabic Books 185 volumes
    3. Turkish 9 volumes
    4. French 885 volumes
    5. English 21 volumes
    6. Russian 20 volumes
    7. German 75 volumes
    8. Italian 17 volumes"
In completing Arbab Keykhosrow’s note, it is added that in 1912 when 1091 books from the Ehtesham ul Saltaneh’s valuable library was bequeathed to Majlis by Mokhber ul Saltaneh Hedayat, Ehtesham ul Saltaneh himself was in Istanbul. In 1919, he went to Germany. Upon his return in 1923, he gave another 798 books to Majlis Library, which is listed in the registry.
It must be noted also that about two hundred printed books and manuscripts were donated by Holaku Rambod to Majlis Library in 1931, some of which being remnants of his ancestor, Ehtesham-ul Saltaneh.

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Library O. Chart and Internal Code during Establishment
From the very onset, the library founders paid attention to discipline and legal practice, thus by composing the O. Chart and Internal Code they intended to establish order. This caused the library to be administered in compliance with bylaws and o. charts.

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SECOND STAGE: Relocation to the New Building
 
 
Due to the inadequate space and unsuitability of the book holding area, by the order of then Majlis Speaker, Sardar Fakher Hekmat, a piece of land 1,200 square meter in area was set aside in the southern part of the Baharestan Garden. The groundwork for A well-equipped building, in four stories, was laid for the library. The building has five book vaults, each having a capacity for holding 100,000 books. A reading hall, an exhibition hall, five staff rooms, and a room for micrographic department comprise the main section of this building.

 

  
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THIRD STAGE: Islamic Revolution
The Library had been the only section of the former National Consultative Assembly, to have been shut down without the consent of Majlis authorities a few months before the victory of the Islamic Revolution. However, on April 6, 1979, that is less than two months following the victory of the illustrious Islamic Revolution, it was reopened after being closed for six months. It resumed its activities with six staff members who had been selected and summoned by the Library superintendent. Reopening of Majlis Library had been carried out on the oral order of the founder of the Islamic Republic, Imam Khomeini which was communicated by the late martyred Professor Morthedha Motahari.
One of the Post-Revolution developments, had been the merging of the former Senate Library with Majlis Library. Thus the old Majlis library was renamed as the Islamic Consultative Assembly Central Library and the former Senate Library was renamed as Islamic Consultative Assembly Satellite Library.
Following the relocation of the satellite library to its present location (Negarestan Museum) in 1983, its special library in Islamic and Iranian studies that in past was open to a select few people, was opened to public. It should be mentioned that the satellite library had an exceptional and memorable status in the early days of the [victory of] revolution concurrent with the formation of the Assembly of Experts. Revolutionary figures such as the late Dr. Beheshti were among frequent patrons.
The ratification of Library Charter in 1995, marks another important and momentous development in the history of Majlis Library. According to this Charter, the library turned into an independent entity known as "Islamic Consultative Assembly Library, Museum and Documentation Center" [Hereinafter ICALIB] with the Majlis speaker as its chairman of the board of trustees. Majlis committee chairpersons for culture and Islamic Guidance, Culture and Higher Education, Majlis Cultural commissionaire, Superintendent of Library and two nationally-acknowledged researchers nominated by library superintendent and approved by the Chairman, compose the board of trustees.

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FOURTH STAGE: Upgrading
  
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In the march of so many years, ICALIB had been constantly favored by scholars, artists and sympathetic managers, and had been increasingly enriched. Nevertheless, there are intervals during which resource acquisition had fluctuated giving rise to some shortfalls. On the other hand, resource processing and cataloging had not kept pace with the abundant richness of the collection. Book catalog cards were available with only a title and author index. It had lost its currency with the passage of years and in some cases, there had been inadequacies. These instances as well as other problems hindering the scientific and applied progress and development of the library led to the institution of drastic and important measures to solve these bottlenecks.

 
 
   
 
 
 
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