Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met last week with Lord Jacob Rothschild and other Rothschild family representatives, and thanked them for their willingness to donate – via Yad Hanadiv – over NIS 100 million for the establishment of a new national library. The Prime Minister updated Lord Rothschild on the Government’s decision to allocate land in the Kiryat HaLeom government complex in Jerusalem for this purpose. The Director-General and other senior representatives of the National Library attended the meeting, as did representatives of Yad Hanadiv and the President of Hebrew University.

The National Library is currently housed on the Givat Ram campus of Hebrew University in a building with outdated infrastructure and is challenged to offer visitor services comparable with other national libraries. The new library will be equipped with advanced digital technology and will include large storage spaces and innovative display areas.

In accordance with the 2007 National Library Law, a National Library Company will be established for construction and management of the library. Fifty percent of it will be owned by the government, 25% by Hebrew University and the remaining 25% by several government and public institutions.