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Special Collections

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One way for USEK Library to enlarge its collection is by acquiring, preserving, and making books available from the private libraries of prominent Lebanese individuals. These books are of enduring value because of their intellectual and academic content. These Collections fit into the mission of the USEK Library to ensure the preservation and long-lasting availability of resources of national and ethnic heritage, as well as to support the research needs of the undergraduates, graduate students, faculty, researchers, and the academic community at large.

Collections

Major collections include the private libraries of:

  • Maurice El Gemayel
    Lebanese politician, lawyer and economist
    Date of birth: 1907
    Place of birth: Mansourah, Egypt
    Date of death: 31 October, 1970, Beirut
    Family: Married Josette Awad and had six daughters
    Education: Antoura College; Paris Law University.
    Career: He was elected head of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) for two consecutive terms. He created the Ministry of Planning in Lebanon. He was a court attorney, and was elected deputy of Metn in 1960, Minister of State for the Financial Affairs from August 1st, 1960 to May 20, 1961 and re-elected deputy of Metn in April 1964. Gemayel was also member of the Political Office of Phalanges Party (Kataëb).
    Publications:
    Numerous books about economy and Lebanese resources
    Gemayel, M. (1951). La planification intégrale des eaux Libanaises. Beyrouth: S.N.
  • Joseph Oughourlian
    Date of birth: 1948
    Place of birth: Paris
    Family: Spouse, Jenny, and three children
    Education: Graduated from the HEC Business School and from IEP (Sciences Po.), both in Paris, and earned his MSc in Economics from Sorbonne in Paris.
    Career: Founded Amber Capital in New York in November 2005 and leads the investment offices in London and Milan. He began his career at Société Générale in Paris in 1994 and soon moved to New York. In 1997, he started managing proprietary money of Societé Générale, which led to the first Amber Fund being stablished in October 2001 with seed capital from the Bank. In addition to the board of PRISA, he currently sits on the board of AGBU (the world's largest Armenian charitable organization, based in New York). He is based in London. Elected to the AGBU Central Board of Directors in 2010
    Publications:
    Oughourlian, J. (1982). Histoire de la monnaie Libanaise: Une monnaie, un État. Toulouse: Erès.
  • Boutros Dib
    Date of birth: August 23, 1922
    Place of birth: Banias, Syria
    Family: Married to Lily Charaoui and has four children.
    Career: Was Director-General of the Presidency of the Lebanese Republic, Rector of the Lebanese University, Ambassador of Lebanon to the Holy See, UNECSO and France.
    Honours and awards: received numerous decorations from several Countries, including Grand Cross, Grand Officer, and Commander.
    Publications:
    He led a team of nine historians in the elaboration of Lebanon's history: from its origins to the 20th century: Dib, B. (dir.) (2006). Histoire du Liban: Des origines au XXe siècle. Paris : Philippe Rey.
  • Assaad Germanos
    Date of birth: 1931
    Place of birth: Lebanon
    Family: Married and has three children
    Education: Studied at St. Joseph University of Beirut in the Law Faculty and got his L.L.B. diploma
    Career: He was the judge, the Court President, and the advisor of the First Chamber of the Court of North Lebanon in 1964. Germanos was the President of Labor Court in North Lebanon in 1965, the sole judge of summary jurisdiction, an examining judge of Beirut in 1967 and an examining judge in banking affairs in 1968, Military General Attorney of Lebanon in 1971, and finally, he was a Counselor at the Court of Appeals from 1983 till 2005.
  • Kamal Salibi
    Lebanese historian
    Date of birth: May 2, 1929
    Place of birth: Bhamdoun
    Date of death: Sept. 1, 2011, Beirut
    Education: Studied at the American University of Beirut, London University, and obtained his Doctorate in History from London University in 1953
    Career: Professor Emeritus at the American University of Beirut; historian of modern Lebanon, the Arab world, and the Bible.
    Publications:
    Author of several articles and studies published in specialized journals and books
    Grassmuck, George & Salibi, K. S. (1964). Reformed administration in Lebanon. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan. Center for Near Eastern and North African Studies.
    Salibi, K. S. (1977). The modern history of Lebanon. New York: Caravan Books.
    Salibi, K. S. (1976). Crossroads to Civil War: Lebanon 1958-1976. Delmar, N.Y.: Caravan Books.
    Salibi, K. S. (1977). Syria under Islam: Empire on trial 634-1097. Delmar, N.Y.: Caravan Books
    Salibi, K. S. (1980). A history of Arabia. Delmar, N.Y.: Caravan Books.
  • Robert Abdo Ghanem
    Date of birth: 1939
    Place of birth: Baskinta
    Career: Poet, philosopher, theologian and journalist. Founded the magazine Maraya (Mirrors). His father is the writer Abdullah Ghanem
  • Anna Tabet
    Lebanese painter

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Availability and orders

Available to be read on-site, in one of the Library reading rooms. To order a print or digital copy of material from this collection, please visit the Digital Development Center.
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