Abu Dhabi / Sharjah, UAE — In a quiet, climate-controlled workshop at the National Library & Archives (NLA) in Abu Dhabi, experts are delicately coaxing centuries-old manuscripts and rare books back to life. What might appear as simple cleaning or re-binding is in fact a highly specialised conservation process — and in the UAE it can take anywhere from a few weeks up to six months or more, depending on the damage. Gulf News+1
A meticulous craft
On the sidelines of the Sharjah International Book Fair, a live demonstration showed visitors how conservators insert ultra-thin Japanese paper into torn, fragile pages of ancient books. Based on the condition assessment, each piece enters a custom workflow: fumigation to remove insects, alcohol-based treatment for fungus, steam flattening of warped pages, and then mending and rebinding. Gulf News+1
According to restoration specialist Shaima Alameri at the NLA, “If it’s a simple case – just dust and small tears – it might take one to two months. Medium damage… around three to four months. But when we deal with severe damage, especially from fungus or when most pages are affected, it can take up to six months.” Gulf News
The hidden threats to heritage
The reasons for damage are many: paper eaten away by insects, fungal growth, stains from liquids or oils, brittle spines and torn leaves. In one centre, the Juma Al Majid Centre for Culture & Heritage in Dubai, manuscripts up to 1,200 years old have been brought back into readable condition. Khaleej Times+1 Techniques include sterilisation, dry and wet cleaning, and use of natural stitching materials that match the originals. After restoration, each book is housed in a special custom-box to safeguard it for the future. Khaleej Times+1
Technology meets traditional craft
While machines assist with tasks like newspaper digitisation, for rare books the human touch remains essential. At the NLA, machines detect faded text or hidden watermarks, but the actual paper-repair is manual; such attention preserves the book’s integrity. Gulf News
Strategic cultural value
For the UAE, this is more than preservation: it is safeguarding national identity, Arab and Islamic heritage, and valuable intellectual assets. For example, in 2023, the emirate of Sharjah’s leadership directed restoration work on rare Arabic books in Spain’s El Escorial Library — underscoring the UAE’s global cultural outreach. Gulf News
Meanwhile, in Abu Dhabi, the Mohammed Bin Rashid Library’s Restoration Centre has restored more than 600 rare items and participated in international manuscript-heritage conferences in 2025. Menews+1
Impacts & outcomes
- Longevity: A restored book is expected to serve for another 200–300 years if stored properly, according to conservation experts. Khaleej Times+1
- Heritage access: By restoring rare manuscripts, libraries and institutions make the nation’s cultural memory more accessible for research, exhibitions and education.
- Global standing: The UAE strengthens its role as a regional hub for heritage conservation and knowledge preservation.
Challenges ahead
Despite the progress, there are hurdles:
- Time & cost: Some items require weeks of dedicated work, while others with heavy damage can take half a year or more — and each page may need two-four days of labour. Gulf News+1
- Expertise & materials: Locating materials that match the original (e.g., Japanese paper, natural threads) and finding trained conservation specialists remains challenging.
- Storage & preservation environment: Post-restoration, maintaining correct humidity, temperature and light levels is critical to prevent relapse. Khaleej Times
- Digitisation vs physical repair: While digitisation is invaluable for access, physical restoration remains indispensable for preserving the original artifact.
The path ahead
Looking forward, these institutions are expanding capacity. The Mohammed Bin Rashid Library’s Restoration Centre is actively involved in conferences and research, signalling a deeper integration between conservation, scholarship and public engagement. MENAFN Likewise, public-facing demonstrations at book fairs help raise awareness of this heritage work.
In summary
From the initial assessment of damage to the final binding and custom housing, the UAE’s commitment to restoring priceless books is both an art and a science. Whether it takes a few weeks or several months, the goal is clear: to ensure that rare manuscripts and books survive for generations to come, sustaining knowledge, culture and legacy in a rapidly changing world.
