From the beginning, UMAM Documentation & Research has built its documental and archival collection with the goal of making all of its materials accessible to anyone that may wish to peruse them. This collection is focused on Lebanon and its recent history, and includes periodicals, publications, written documents, audio-visual material, posters, and other items. While all of its holdings were available to the public, UMAM D&R was still unable to quickly and efficiently share its collections with others. However, that changed in 2018 thanks to moral and financial support from the Embassy of Switzerland in Lebanon.

Under the patronage of her Excellency Ms. Monika Schmutz Kirgöz, Swiss Ambassador to Lebanon, UMAM D&R launched its electronic archival directory, UMAM Biblio, accompanied by a display of its archives, which included recently digitized films, posters about various collections, and specific items related to a couple of Lebanon's forgotten establishments: Baalbeck Studios and the Carlton Hotel Beirut, which once overlooked the Mediterranean.

UMAM D&R is grounded in the belief that such assets have a role to play in informing and structuring public debates. Still, we must admit that our will to make UMAM D&R's assets available was often limited by the lack of resources needed to improve the cataloging of the already sorted out items or begin sorting out others. We conceived the establishment of a portal that gives direct access to our catalogues, and to some digitized materials, as a necessary step towards fulfilling our purpose. The launch of UMAM Biblio marked a new, significant chapter for UMAM D&R and ensured that its continually expanding collection will be available like never before to researchers, journalists, academics, or anyone with a simple interest in Lebanon’s history.

The event is part of the Connecting the Dots initiative and was made possible thanks to funding from the Embassy of Switzerland in Lebanon.

From the beginning, UMAM Documentation & Research has built its documental and archival collection with the goal of making all of its materials accessible to anyone that may wish to peruse them. This collection is focused on Lebanon and its recent history, and includes periodicals, publications, written documents, audio-visual material, posters, and other items. While all of its holdings were available to the public, UMAM D&R was still unable to quickly and efficiently share its collections with others. However, that changed in 2018 thanks to moral and financial support from the Embassy of Switzerland in Lebanon.

Under the patronage of her Excellency Ms. Monika Schmutz Kirgöz, Swiss Ambassador to Lebanon, UMAM D&R launched its electronic archival directory, UMAM Biblio, accompanied by a display of its archives, which included recently digitized films, posters about various collections, and specific items related to a couple of Lebanon's forgotten establishments: Baalbeck Studios and the Carlton Hotel Beirut, which once overlooked the Mediterranean.

UMAM D&R is grounded in the belief that such assets have a role to play in informing and structuring public debates. Still, we must admit that our will to make UMAM D&R's assets available was often limited by the lack of resources needed to improve the cataloging of the already sorted out items or begin sorting out others. We conceived the establishment of a portal that gives direct access to our catalogues, and to some digitized materials, as a necessary step towards fulfilling our purpose. The launch of UMAM Biblio marked a new, significant chapter for UMAM D&R and ensured that its continually expanding collection will be available like never before to researchers, journalists, academics, or anyone with a simple interest in Lebanon’s history.

The event is part of the Connecting the Dots initiative and was made possible thanks to funding from the Embassy of Switzerland in Lebanon.