Naguib Mahfouz's Daughter Donates His Private Library

Umm Kulthoum Mahfouz, the daughter of the late renowned literary figure and Nobel Prize winner Naguib Mahfouz, is donating the prolific writer’s private library to Bibliotheca Alexandrina in Alexandria.

The collection is made up of 1,500 books featuring Mahfouz’s published novels and books with his signature, along with dictionaries and encyclopedias, many of which he either acquired or received as gifts. The collection also includes certificates, documents and personal photos of the renowned writer, and even videotapes of fictional works based on his novels and writings.

The Naguib Mahfouz Collection will be displayed as part of the library’s special collections. It will also be available to readers of all ages, including library patrons, scholars, and researchers, as a way of immortalizing Mahfouz’s legacy. Bibliotheca Alexandrina will host a cultural celebration to inaugurate the display of Naguib Mahfouz’s book collection, where his daughter will be present.