Afghanistan Digital Collections; Afghanistan Digital Library; Afghan Center at Kabul University and University of Arizona Libraries

Collections

ACKU Digital Collection: Unique collection of documents related to Afghanistan history, culture, and its development during the Jihad period and more.
Anis (1946 - 1984): Anis is one of the oldest newspapers in Afghanistan. Initially, it was published by Mohayyuddin Anis in Kabul on May 6, 1927. Currently, it is published by the Ministry of Information and Culture. Around 80% of the news is published in Dari and 20% in Pashto. The daily prints around 2,200 to 2,500 copies daily and being circulated in Kabul and other provinces. It is funded by the government with around 43 employees.
Kabul Times (1962 - 1980): The Kabul Times, established in 1962, was the first English language printed newspaper in Afghanistan. Following the 1978 coup, the Kabul Times was renamed New Kabul Times, and began to print Communist rhetoric that was reminiscent of days during the Cold War and was highly confrontative to the Western culture.
Afghanistan Kalany / Almanac: Da Afghanistan Kalanay also known as the Salnamah-i Afghanistan is an almanac and yearbook published by the Government of Afghanistan from 1932-1990 (1311-1369). This government publication covers major government activities including economic and agricultural plans. Each volume covers political and economic history and activities of the country. Text are mostly in Dari/Persian and Pashto languages. Some issues have added title and some notes in English or French.
Ludwig W. Adamec Collection - Selected Titles: Professor Emeritus Ludwig W Adamec's collection, who has provided multiple important titles for digitization. He has written and edited numerous books, including the monumental Historical and political gazetteer of Afghanistan.
Professor M. Mobin Shorish Collections - Selected Titles: A collection of materials spanning [1950s - 1990s] from the personal archives of University of Illinois Professor M. Mobin Shorish, who was an advocate for the rights and dignity of the Afghan people during almost 40 years of uninterrupted conflict.

A Partnership Project

The University of Arizona Libraries (UAL) and the Afghanistan Centre at Kabul University (ACKU) have been involved in a partnership project since 2007. The project has produced Afghanistan Digital Repository (ADR) and associated master files, maintained by the UAL from 2007 to 2020. Most materials in the ADR are originally owned by ACKU. We are proud of our partnership and products over a decade. We believe that the highest priority is to ensure sustainable stewardship and preservation of the ADR. Due in part to budget constraints, the UAL will cease renewing the partnership with ACKU regarding our digitization collaboration and the ongoing operation of the ADR by June 30, 2020. ACKU will manage and own all aspects of the ADR starting July 1, 2020.

The UAL in partnership with the ACKU collaborated on Preserving and Creating Access to Afghanistan Literature from the Jihad Period, a project to catalog, digitize, and create metadata. This project was funded by the UAL and the ACKU from 2007 to 2020. From 2007 to 2012, the initial project was funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH).

Content includes:

Unique collection of documents related to Afghanistan history, culture, and its development during the Jihad period and more. ACKU’s permanent collection is the most extensive in the region covering a time of war and social upheaval in the country, with most of the documents in English or the principal languages of Pashto and Dari.

Two newspapers: Anis and Kabul Times are from the University of Arizona Professor Emeritus Ludwig W Adamec's collection, who has provided multiple important titles for digitization. He has written and edited numerous books, including the monumental Historical and political gazetteer of Afghanistan.

Afghanistan Kalanay Yearbook is from the University of Arizona Libraries' collection.

News

July 2020, ACKU starts to manage Afghandata.org since the transfer of the Afghan digital repository.
Aug 2017, Prof. M. Mobin Shorish collection is fully available online
Dec 2016, 17,000 titles (1,400,000 pages) are available.
Sep 2016, Prof. M. Mobin Shorish Collection was donated by Ms. Yasmeen Shorish
Dec 2015, 15,000 titles (1,200,000 pages) are available
April 2015, Newspapers were scanned and are available.
November 2014, 11,000 titles (900,000 pages)
April 2014, The repository system has upgraded to DSpace 4.1
January 2014, Yan Han and Atifa Rawan trained ACKU staff in Kabul.
September 2013, 5,500 titles (600,000 pages)
March 2013, 3,400 titles (460,000 pages). The repository System has been upgraded to DSpace 3.1.
2012, 2,200 titles (300,000 pages). NEH grant project ended.
2011, 1,500 titles (200,000 pages) in DSpace 1.8.