“The National Library is in danger”
This announcement was issued on Thursday (23-Feb-2022), following reports that Minister of Education Yoav Kisch wishes to introduce changes to the National Library Law (2007) that would result in changes to the status of the Library as an independent entity, and, among other things, subordinate the appointment of National Library of Israel board members to the Ministry.
The proposed change to the National Library Law puts the cultural and heritage treasures of the Jewish people, housed with the National Library of Israel, in grave danger.
Chairman of the Board of Directors of the National Library of Israel, Sallai Meridor, former Israeli Ambassador to the United States, Chairman of the Jewish Agency and Chairman of the World Zionist Organization, warns that the intention to make a fundamental change in the National Library Law (2007) constitutes a substantial threat to the continued existence of this national institution.
The new bill proposed by the Minister of Education would leave the National Library Council devoid of its main authority: to appoint the members of the Board of Directors, and would establish that the person to appoint the majority of the members of the board would be the Minister of Education. If the bill passes, it would convert the National Library of Israel into a government-controlled company.
In addition, according to the bill, were the Law to pass, all members of the current Board of Directors would be fired immediately - an unprecedented measure.
"The greatest treasure of the National Library of Israel is the public trust, thanks to which private individuals deposit their collections and treasures for the benefit of the entire public and for the benefit of future generations. Damaging the public trust will jeopardize future depositing of national treasures in Jerusalem," stated Meridor.
Meridor added, "In these days of division and reputational damage to the State of Israel, the intention to harm this important consensus, through seriously harming a national asset that is important to the general public, is puzzling."
The National Library of Israel was founded in 1892 as a world center for preserving the cultural and heritage treasures of the Jewish people. In 2007, the Knesset enacted the National Library Law, legally granting the Library independent status, to "collect, preserve, develop and endow collections of knowledge, heritage and culture in general and those of the Jewish people, the State and the Land of Israel, in particular," and provide the general public free access to the unique collections housed within.
Meridor: "The attempt to change the law that was enacted specifically and by broad consensus, without consulting professional entities, and other shareholders and partners of the Library, is a gross interference that threatens the continued existence of the National Library, the treasure of the Jewish people for all generations and the cradle of Israeli culture.
"The Library must not be held hostage by any political entity, whatever it may be; this was the intention of the legislator, and of Israeli governments and Ministers of Education over the years. Damaging the independence of the National Library damages our national heritage, and the Library's ability to continue enjoying the vital support of its many supporters, in Israel and around the world, who make private donations of collections, treasures, and funds so as to ensure the continued existence of this very important national institution."
The National Library of Israel emphasizes that the proposed change to the National Library Law will cause irreparable harm to the Library's status, and damage its ability to receive the private contributions that are essential to its functioning. The Library's projected move to its new location adjacent to the Knesset of Israel may also be affected due to the proposed changes to the law.
In recent years, private donations totaling approximately NIS 1 billion were made to the National Library of Israel. The Library warns that if donations cease, its continued existence will be in real danger.
The National Library Law
The National Library Law emphasizes the importance of the Library's independence and that of its officials, as was determined by the Knesset in its legislation.
"It is important to guarantee the Library's autonomy." This was determined in 1998, by an international oversight committee established by the late then-Minister of Education Zevulun Hammer, the then-President of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem Hanoch Gutfreund, and Lord Rothschild, and composed of senior officials from the world's greatest national libraries. In its recommendations, the committee emphasized that, "The establishment of an independent Board of Directors, which will have full control and authority over the Library, is key to the National Library's renewal. The recommended composition of the Board of Directors will allow the Library to function as a national institution."
"The National Library must be a discrete professional body, exempt from any government involvement in its day-to-day management," stated committee chair Prof. Yitzhak Zamir during the legislative process in 2004. "The National Library will not be considered a government company or a 'mixed company' [ a company in which half or less than half of the voting power at general meetings or the right to appoint half or less than half the number of directors is held by the State], because it will not be subject in any way to the supervision of the Government Companies Authority... without involvement or influence on the part of the government, a government minister, or another governmental body."
The National Library Law received majority support, and has since remained the status quo for almost two decades. The law was submitted by 59 MKs from an overwhelming majority of factions - secular, ultra-Orthodox, traditional, religious, left and right - and passed the first reading with a majority of 68 supporters, and none opposed. The final version was accepted by the Knesset in 2007, without any opposition.
In accordance with the National Library Law, the Library's Board of Directors is a professional, balanced, and independent body, consisting of 14 members, chaired by the Head of the Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities, as stipulated by the Law. The Library states that the proposal to abolish it is unjustified and will cause great harm.
The full text of the National Library Law is available here:
The English translation of the National Library Law is available here:
About the National Library
Founded in Jerusalem in 1892, the National Library of Israel (NLI) serves as the dynamic institution of national memory for the Jewish people worldwide and Israelis of all backgrounds and faiths. NLI collection highlights include significant handwritten works by luminaries such as Maimonides and Sir Isaac Newton, exquisite Islamic manuscripts dating back to the ninth century, and the personal archives of leading cultural and intellectual figures including Martin Buber, Natan Sharansky, and Naomi Shemer. NLI also holds the world's largest collections of textual Judaica, Jewish and Israeli music, and maps of Jerusalem and the Holy Land, as well as world-class collections of manuscripts, ancient maps, rare books, photographs, communal and personal archival materials, and more.
While continuing to serve as Israel's pre-eminent research library, NLI is now in the midst of an ambitious journey of renewal to encourage diverse audiences in Israel and around the globe to engage with its treasures in new and meaningful ways. This is taking place through a range of innovative educational, cultural, and digital initiatives, as well as through a new landmark building and campus, scheduled to open its doors in 2023, that will reflect NLI's central values of democratizing knowledge and bringing its collections and resources to as broad and diverse an audience as possible.