1. INTRODUCTION 

Libraries define special collections in many different ways. They define them on the basis of one or more of the following factors: monetary value, age, local interests, incunabula, elegant binding, fine printing or the fame of former owners. Generally speaking, special collections flourish in well-developed libraries and institutions where they grow or develop through the bringing together of a number of unit collections, rare or otherwise. This means that special collections are not a common sight in new libraries, unless they are created specifically to collect certain targeted materials. The important point is that they should have a minimum corpus of materials of great interest, worthy of the attention of researchers, to qualify as special collections. 

Paradoxically, a special collection is probably the least well-known or understood of a library’s total holdings. Various restrictions imposed upon its use make this inevitable. On the other hand, its valuable contents and a degree of accessibility to them can make the collection better known. Special collections rarely arouse the interest of young librarians who are more technologically-oriented. Nevertheless, the unique and exotic materials of which they consist, always draw scholars and researchers to them. And, it is partly through their research, publications and recommendation that the collections become more widely known, than would otherwise be the case. 

The special collection which is the subject of this paper is called the Schacht Collection. This collection represents the first conscious attempt by the UKM library to set up a Special Collection. This splendid collection is located in the Special Collection Room which also houses several other special collections, placed next to one another. In preparing this paper, I have consulted Mr. Ali Haji Ahmad, a former professional librarian involved in the setting up the Schacht Collection in the 1970s, Mrs. Hapipah Mubin, former Acquisitions Librarian and other supporting staff, including Mr. Kamaruddin Asmawi and Mr. Rahman Amin. They contributed significantly to the early history of the placement of this collection in the old UKM campus at Jalan Pantai Baru, Kuala Lumpur. I am also grateful to Miss Rohaya Umar, who has kindly compiled the list of titles which appears as an appendix to this paper. 

2. GENESIS AND ACQUISTION

The Schacht Collection is named after its original owner, Prof. Joseph Schacht. The name of the collection serves not only to differentiate it from the other special collections which are found in the library, but also to indicate that the naming of a speical collection could well be an arbitrary matter. Although none of the materials in the Schacht Collection is incunabula, they are nevertheless sufficiently rare and of special interest as repositories of knowledge in one particular area of study - the Islamic studies - to be deserving of some kind of special treatment. It is this last factor that imparts to the collection its unique and intrinsic value. 

Prof. Joseph Schacht (1902-1969) was born a Jew, graduated from University of Bratislava and University of Leipzig and taught in many universities in different countries, including Egypt, United Kingdom, Netherlands and the Department of Near and Middle Eastern Studies at Columbia University (1954-58), USA, before he died. An orientalist, who was conversant in at least six languages (English, Arabic, French, German, Hebrew and Persian), he was a meticulous scholar. He was well known and widely quoted for his contributions to Islamic law and jurisprudence. He had authored or edited a large number of books and great academic distinction (See appendix 1). He was also one of the leading contributors to, and editor of The Encyclopedia of Islam, published by E.J. Brill of Leiden. 

This collection is believed to be the complete collection of Joseph Schacht. Its major focus or theme is on Islamic law or jurisprudence which was the principal intellectual and academic interest of Joseph Schacht. It is well-based on an extensive range of materials, reflecting the breadth of his scholarship and research interests as a teacher and supervisor of scholarly activities. These materials in a sense also reflect his beliefs, hopes, tastes and attitudes. They obviously tell us a great deal about him that we may otherwise not know. It is evident from his writings that his book collecting tastes almost precisely match the depth of his scholarship. 

This sizeable collection consists of a diverse and extensive range of materials. He collected them all because of their pertinence or relevance, one way or another, to his scholarly interests. Indirectly, these materials may be seen also as important contributorial references to him. While the majority of the materials were his own purchases as indicated by his signature, there are others which were originally gifts from his friends or publishers. These marks of original ownership are highly prized now. They are not a disfigurement, but a mark of added value. The same is true of the many witty comments and profound marginal notes penned by J. Schacht and other scholars in some of the books in the collection. These notes were made chiefly for convenience of reference. They are not irreverent comments or vulgar remarks mischievously inserted by student readers. We respect and cherish them simply because they add value to the works in which they are made. Besides revealing the ownership, these marks are also important sources of the story, or rather the history of the books and their owner. In other words, instead of detracting from the value of the books, they enhance it even further. The same book, without bearing J. Schacht’s signature, would perhaps be worth far less. Seen thus, there is no doubt that the fame of the owner can add significant value to the books in question.  

Schacht was an enthusiastic bibliophile with immense appetite for and delight in collecting books. He could easily be regarded as a leading private book collector with an aggressive approach to his task, evidence of serious scholarship at work. Not only that, he was also a very organized collector in that all the books in his personal library were meticulously recorded. This personal record or inventory written in his own hand is now preserved in the UKM Library. One thing that surprises us, however, is that many of the books appear to have remained unread because their edges are uncut or untrimmed. Perhaps he did not have the time to read them all - we will never know. In any case, however, J. Schacht was one of that rare breed of people who seem to combine the role of a diligent scholar with that of an efficient book collector with consummate ease and efficiency. After his death, his treasured collection, too left its original abide, to be relocated in the UKM Library, where it remains to this day as J. Schacht’s personal monument to his own immense achievements in the world of scholarship of Islam.

The purchase 23 years ago of his entire collection was motivated by UKM’s need for serious works for research and teaching. This institutional goal (or mission) influenced the funding of RM360,000.00 in 1972 for its acquisition. It may be relevant also to mention that after 23 years, more and more of these books have become ‘out-of-print’ and ‘out-of-stock’ and so have acquired the status of rare books. This is particularly true of the older books (see appendix 3), even if none is manifestly incunabula. The genesis of this collection had nothing to do with any well-conceived strategic plan by the UKM Library Committee which in any ease did not exist then. It came about simply by means of an unexpected purchase, after UKM had been approached by an agent acting on behalf of the estate of J. Schacht. This does not mean that the late Mr. Abdul Aziz bin Sheikh Mydin, the first Chief Librarian of UKM, lacked the foresight or was insensitive to the long-term library requirements of the UKM’s curriculum in research and teaching. In the early 1970s, the UKM Library was a mere ‘baby’ among the established academic libraries in the world. Quite naturally, the librarian then was more occupied with the sole concern of developing a broad-based general collection to support undergraduate studies. At that time, the library’s collection was small in every sense of the word, and it was woefully inadequate for serious research. It certainly bore no comparison with well-developed libraries in the United Kingdom and the United States of America from where most of the pioneering academic staff of UKM had obtained their Ph.D. degrees. The decision to purchase the collection was made partly to increase the number of volumes in the library collection, and partly in expectation of increased intake of students and scholars in subsequent years. It was in this context that the collection was considered to be useful.

Today, the Schacht Collection exists in all its magnificence to serve equally to enrich teaching and research in UKM. In retrospect, it has proved to be an excellent investment; and for as long as it is preserved with good care, the future generations would remember with gratitude the names of the late Chief Librarian, Mr. Abdul Aziz bin Sheikh Mydin, Dr. Arifin Marzuki, the second Vice Chansellor of UKM and Mrs. Ho Chooi Hon, former Head of Acquisitions Division, as leading figures responsible for acquiring the Collection for the UKM Library.

This collection was bought through E.J. Brill of Leiden. The books were professionally wrapped in several layers with strong, protective water proof covers in 6 wooden cases. They were all in good condition when they first arrived in Malaysia. They were not wormy or mildewed; thus no fumigation was considered necessary. Under the supervision of Mr. Ali Haji Ahmad, the clerical staff were instructed to unpack them. They carefully checked each book against the bookseller’s list and recorded them. The book list was useful as a guide to author-title entries, but not for much else. It did not follow any international cataloguing standards with the result that it contained many inaccuracies in description, especially in respect of shortened titles or entries. Once recorded and registered, the books were physically grouped - not catalogued - according to broad subjects and kept in the Special Collection Room. In their original covers, the books look elegant and solemn, radiating an aura of scholarly authenticity. Their fine binding and lettering are a delight to behold. They are unique and will certainly be useful in scholarly research.

Unfortunately, to these books were added new ownership marks as well as assession and class numbers as if they were ordinary books belonging to the general collection. This procedure was considered necessary as a library science management technique as well as for security reasons. This procedure is anathema to the new school of thought in the management of special materials which advocates the philosophy of minimal tampering. On the plus side, however, these materials were spared the appendages of book pockets and date-due slips. A slip of non-acidic paper with the call number was inserted between leaves inside the front cover, so that it could be seen protruding over the top of the book as a substitute for the label on the spine. In this way, the book spines, some with original elegant and decorated binding, were not defaced. Consequently, a noticeable feature of these materials is the absence of class number on the spine of the books. This decision was deliberate, taken partly to maintain the neat appearance of the Collection and partly to preserve the intrinsic value of the book. 

3. SIZE AND ORGANIZATION

The cataloguing and classification of these materials were undertaken only after the UKM Library had moved to its new (Tun Seri Lanang Library) premises in Bangi in 1980. This important task was performed mainly by Mrs. Arfah bt Isa, a former Arabic subject specialist, from 1981 to 1983. Her effort not only laid the groundwork for the organization of the materials, but also provided access to the contents of the collection. Anyone familiar with the Library of Congress Classification Scheme will be able to find his way to the needed materials, while those who are not will also realize that the materials of related topics are shelved adjacent to one another. According to the catalogue published in 1985, there are 2793 titles, more or less equally divided in Arabic and Roman scripts, classified in the following subject groupings:

Excluded from the published catalogue are 36 ‘rare materials’ in Arabic (see appendix 2) and 374 reprints and reports in various other languages. They are uncatalogued and unclassified. This could cause embarrassment to the library one day when some inquisitive reader might start to question the integrity of the collection on the ground of the exclusion of these materials from the published catalogue. The exclusion would ensure that they would remain unknown and inaccessible to scholars, which would be a pity.

I do not intend to analyze the contents of specific books, but rather to highlight the diversity of the collection. This diversity is more a factor of size than age (see appendix 3 & 4) or anything else. Included in the definition of what I call "diversity" are books that are miscellaneous in content. This is inevitable as the collection was purchased en bloc. These diverse or marginally related materials are also important in that they help to strengthen the main part of the collection.

In theory, libraries are free to organize their materials in any way they please, so long as the arrangement is controlled by an effective location system. In practice, however, they are conditioned by their particular circumstances. For reasons of preservation, the UKM Library keeps all these classified materials in acid-free boxes. These boxes measuring 13 1/2 x 13 cm, 39 x 8 cm, 13 1/2 x 12 1/2 cm and 13 1/2 x 8 cm, can accommodate books and journals of many different sizes. Larger folios are, however, separately wrapped in brown paper as a temporary measure until the bigger boxes are available. The number of books to be placed in each box depends on their size. The basic rule is that they should not be packed too tightly or too loosely. Horizontal shelving is now preferred to vertical shelving in the light of past experience when some books, especially the fragile ones with no binding, left tipping over in a slanted position were found to have become warped, bent or distorted, It is believed that placing the books flat would deter users from pulling them by the top of the spine, an act that gradually damages the headcap or the delicate hinges. Being in a horizontal position, with one box placed on top of the other, each book would have to be withdrawn by lifting it gently, with one hand placed under the book and the other on top. To avoid excessive pressure on the books at the bottom, only two boxes are allowed per shelf. As the materials are boxed, their call numbers are written on the outside of the boxes. Upon opening, one sees a piece of paper bearing the call number protruding from the top of each book as mentioned earlier. This serves as the bookmark. Many curators and readers resent the sight of shelves after shelves of boxes because such an arrangement conceals the general appearance of books in their original covers, bindings, titles, scripts and colours. The boxing of books, however, is necessary to protect them from dust, light and the changes in temperature. This means that the preservation of books is given priority over displaying their beauty, since browsing and circulation are not permitted under this organizational regime. 

The UKM Library also considers it necessary to organize separate shelving for materials belonging to various special collections that are differentiated or determined by their respective original sources or owners. Hence, all the materials belonging to different sources are shelved separately as unit collections in the Special Collection room. The notable feature of these unit collections is that the shelves are marked and labelled. This is probably the most convenient and economic arrangement in terms of space utilization, air-conditioning, lighting, janitorial services and staff cost effectiveness. Last but not least, is the fact that the same general rules and regulations that apply in main library can be applied to these materials and their users in the Special Reading Room, thus avoiding unnecessary duplication.

All the classified books in the Schacht Collection have been shelved in the format described above, except the unclassified and hand written manuscripts. There is no attempt to separate them regardless of whether they are rare or not, folio or otherwise, reference materials or basic texts. They are maintained as a unit collection, separate from other unit collections. Such as arrangement is workable and practical also from the administrative point of view. Dispersing these materials would destroy the identity of the Collection and would probably also lead to unnecessary duplication - i.e duplication of the materials and the effort to maintain them. Duplicate materials in this collection are treated as though they were not. As the Collection is non-circulating, general readers are directed to use second or third copies elsewhere in the library such as in the General Collection or the Arabic and Islamic Civilization Collection, thus sparing the copies in the Schacht Collection for preservation. Some examples of the duplicates are shown in appendix 5. The presence of duplicates in a personal collection is common. It is indeed rare not to find duplicates in a collection purchased out-right and enbloc. This problem can be avoided only in a special collection which is built up gradually from scratch with careful monitoring from the very beginning. Nevertheless, duplicates are often useful in that they serve not only to bring out the common interests of scholars and librarians, but also to underline or highlight the importance of such materials among them as they are core or multidisciplinary in nature.

This collection is estimated to consist of close to 4,000 volumes and not just the 2793 classified titles as listed in the published catalogues. Although there are no new additions to the collection, the wide variety of its contributory materials, bearing obvious or even obscure relationship to Islamic studies, will continue to ensure the status of a core/nuclear collection for Islamic studies, in the same way as a Malay Manuscript Collection does for Malay studies. To conduct a comprehensive and intensive study on an Islamic topic, we would certainly need a mixture of materials such as that found in Schacht Collection.

The strength of the Schacht Collection is not only its size, but more importantly what it contains in terms particularly of rare materials of limited editions (see appendix 6), imprints before certain dates (see appendix 3), fine books with fine bindings and first editions of famous works (see appendix 7). In short, this collection is extremely useful to researchers on hadith, Qu’ran, Islamic law, sufism, history and civilization, biography-related studies of Islam and so on. The size and scope of the materials comprising the collection as well as its combination of rare and standard text prompted the UKM Library to publish and circulate a two- volume catalogue of the Collection in 1985. The first volume, in Arabic, does not carry an author index; while the second which is in Roman script does. Despite some flaws in compilation, eg. the actual call numbers of (some of?) the books differ from those appearing in the catalogue, some titles not included in the catalogue (see appendix 2), no indication of the number of volumes in a set (see appendix 8) etc., the usefulness of the catalogue far outweighs its weaknesses. It is hoped that this catalogue will be revised and republished soon, so as to serve as an authoritative, reliable and comprehensive source of information concerning the Schacht Collection.

4. PUBLICITY AND ACCESSIBILITY

The librarian in charge of the special collection is normally not involved in collection development, acquisition, cataloguing, classification or physical planning. His main task rather is or should be to ensure optimal accessibility and optimal preservation of the collections in his charge. As a result, a striking characteristic of special collection management is that appears to operate as a one-man show. Arguably, it is the balancing of the apparently inconsistent problems of accessibility and preservation that takes up an enormous amount of effort and time of the special collection librarian-manager. This is largely because of the size of the collection and the variety of the materials that he has to handle. We justify the expenditure involved in the purchase of the Schacht Collection originally and in its maintenance subsequently mainly for reasons of research, teaching and reference. Like any other collection in the library, this collection has to be linked also to the main thrust of the library’s function in supporting the missions of the university.

Like other special collections, the Schacht Collection is open to scholars and students, both local and overseas. The latter are required to bring along letters of introduction and application indicating what materials they wish to use and for what purposes. Admission interview is customary. This is in line with normal practice for special collections in other libraries. Once admitted, the readers are supervised in the Special Reading Room provided. 

Despite its existence in the UKM library for more than two decades, the Schacht Collection is practically unknown in the outside world except for a few UKM lecturers, some post-graduate students and a handful of visiting scholars who probably learnt about it in the course of their own research. Evidently, therefore, this collection is not as heavily used as other special collections elsewhere. This is partly due also to the regulations governing circulation and loans, including interlibrary loans. Lack of publicity on information concerning the existence of this collection is another factor. Obviously, publicity attracts scholars, researchers and students who for one reason or another would want to come and use the collection, if only they know about it.

The overall interest of scholars lies in the information these materials can provide. Since they are kept in boxes and housed in an inconspicuous corner of the library with browsing and circulation denied, the question is how can they be publicized? To begin with, an obvious answer is that an experienced librarian who has spent a long time with the collection and who should therefore be reasonably familiar with its contents, is in a better position to publicize and highlight the materials than the published catalogue. This means that it is necessary to appoint a scholar-librarian, who not only knows how to manage a special collection, but is himself inclined toward scholarly pursuits, including serious research. It is only through research that we can discover new materials hidden in the collection. This itself will be a signal contribution of immense value both to the scholarly world and to the library profession alike. Self-evidently, such research can be even more effective and productive if it is undertaken in cooperation with scholars. There is in fact now a growing recognition of the necessity for an on-going process of mutual communication and assistance between scholars and librarians of special collections for common benefit of both. Through cooperation between them, there will emerge gradual broadening and formalizing of relationships between the library and the scholarly world. It is hardly a coincidence that already scholars find their association with librarian in special collections more congenial than with other library staff. The reasons for this are not hard to find. There can be no doubt that by involving himself in collection-related research, the special collection librarian can make himself immeasurably more useful not only to his own profession but also to the world of scholarship as a whole.

As usage is minimal, the UKM’s Special Collection Librarian, who incidentally also handles the Southeast Asia Collection, should be able to manage the Schacht Collection as an one-man operation, without facing any serious difficulty. The only problem with this arrangement is the high rate of staff turn-over. This creates many difficulties in terms of professional, administrative and technical proficiency. It takes a long time for the new ‘comer’ to become familiar with the collection, because of its immense size and the variety of the materials that it contains. It is impossible to remember the details of so many books in foreign languages. For the person concerned, the lack of personal knowledge of the collection, particularly the contents of the most significant titles can be embarrassing. At the very least, it may be difficult for him to assist readers in exploiting the collection effectively. However, given the right aptitude, incentive and training, the person with initiative and imagination should be able to develop his or her knowledge of the collection in good time and eventually become competent. Ideally, such an individual’s will also be skilled in reference work with extensive research experience. Personal initiative is important at all times as the individual’s competence, skill and aptitude for managing a special library are no more than pointers to his ability to learn his job on the job. Many library schools’ curricula do not offer the type or range of educational experience necessary for a career in special librarianship. Thus, many librarians trained in the methods and techniques of general librarianship but called upon to undertake the work of a Special Collection of which they had no previous experience on training, are bound to encounter difficulties which, paradoxically, only they can resolve. 

The traditional perception of the role of a Special Collection Librarian is that of a ‘custodian’. This is mainly because his or her main concern is safe-keeping. And safe-keeping or custodianship is generally seen as passive, to the point perhaps of restricting the use of the materials. There are good reasons for this general perception. Firstly, as the materials are to be preserved, they undoubtedly will need safeguarding against the possibility of theft and careless handling. The second reason is the sheer impossibility of replacing the materials should they be lost or damaged beyond repair. It therefore makes sense to maintain a special collection in closed stacks. Though readers are not allowed direct access to the stacks, the materials themselves are not totally untouchable. The items requested are brought from the stacks by the library staff and they must be consulted under surveillance, in a separate reading room. After use, they are returned to the library staff who must then inspect them for any sign of physical damage, before reshelving them. The close involvement of the library staff in reader use is to ensure proper handling of the materials and to reduce the possibility of damage through mishandling. 

While these restrictive measures seem a necessary and inevitable safeguard against the possibility of mutilation and mishandling, they unfortunately also result in the Schacht Collection being marginalized and becoming increasingly expensive to maintain. The library must therefore interpret the institutional attitude on dichotomous need for protection and public access somewhat liberally in resolving the apparent contradiction between the norm of accessibility and the need for preservation. The library should always try to balance the pressure for optimal access with the desire for optimal protection, bearing in mind that each individual item has its own distinct threshold of protection as determined by its own unique structure and chemistry. This means that each item is at different level of ‘deterioration’ or ‘ageing’. This being so, it is important not to deny access to the materials merely because of the general rule and order, but to look at the condition of the materials individually before deciding whether or not to allow access. Undeniably, some form of restriction is inevitable for conservation purposes.

5. PROBLEM OF CONSERVATION

Unsuitable storage and lack of expertise in conservation are the two major causes of the conservation problems in the UKM Library. Signs of premature ageing and paper deterioration are beginning to show in some of the books in the Schacht Collection. It is, therefore, imperative that before these books are riddled with holes made by silver fish and other book worms, and before their pages become frayed and torn like those in the Peranakan Cina Indonesia Collection - in short, before this problem becomes a major conservation crisis, something serious must be done immediately. It is with this critical scenario in mind that some efforts have been made by UKM to upgrade the Special Collection Room by installing three individual air-conditioning units and fitting dark and thick curtains over the glass-paneled windows. These improvements will be of no avail unless there is a continuity in effort, especially on the part of top management to lay down clear conservation policies in keeping international standards. A high degree of conservation awareness among the library staff and readers must be central to any conservation policy. Although all materials in the library deserve careful handling and preservation, materials in special collections seem to warrant special custodial functions. It is a matter of regret that this custodial role has been blurred or eroded in recent years by the changing attitudes of the UKM library staff. The introduction of new technologies in particular has had the effect of drawing librarians to computers and electronic data-bases, resulting in a relative neglect of their custodial functions.

What these materials need is the best possible personal care from alert and informed library staff. They should know the physical and chemical condition of the materials, the causes of their deterioration, the environmental conditions of storage, the techniques of restoration and conservation, the history of books and printing and so on. Books are not only carriers of information: they are complex structures of organic materials. As organic materials, they are subject to the process of deterioration and disintegration. The time to begin the work of preservation is when the books are stored on their arrival in the library. The best possible storage environment should be provided before it is too late. In the UKM Library, regrettably there is neither a formal preservation programme nor are there facilities to carry out the preservation work. There is only a bindery the carries out repairs and binding. The bindery staff are unable to cope with the conservation and restoration work. Although ‘minimal tampering’ is the general policy in special library management, conservation should be treated as an aspect of collection management. The technical and professional problems involved in maintaining a special collection are not the mere repair or rebinding of damaged materials, they rather have to do with the provision of optimal protection of the materials through optimal purity of storage and environment. Since the establishment of the UKM Library, the policy of conservation and physical security of the collection has been merely to provide protection against theft, mutilation, mishandling and scribbing. But, conservation covers more than that. It includes protection from light, moisture, insects, fungus, dirty air, dust and other destructive agents of paper. 

What is deemed as ideal environment for conservation is when light, temperature, humidity, dust and human handling are brought under complete control. For instance, at temperature of 67° F and humidity of 45-50%, books would not mould readily or dry out excessively. To much aridity or moisture can cause equally serious damage to paper and affect acidification. Once the damage is done, it cannot be undone satisfactorily, and the life span of the affected books will thus be much shortened. In the Schacht Collection, the ideal storage condition for preservation is well nigh impossible to obtain. Light cannot be controlled as there is central lighting. Humidity cannot be controlled as there are air-conditioning ducts in the ceiling and vents in windows, doors, walls and partitions. Dust particles, insects, moisture and fungi can easily travel in and out of the room. Although the three separate air-condition units installed in the room have helped to reduce the temperature, the problems associated with dust, insects and other destructive agents still remain. The main reason is that the present Special Collection Room was not originally designed and built as a Special Collection Room. Structurally, it is directly under the roof which leaked a few years back and also it has windows on two sides. Since the ideal condition for conservation does not exist, the Special Collection staff have to be pragmatic in playing their custodial role in preserving the materials. In the circumstances, all they can do is to keep the storage environment as clean and dry as possible all the time. 

The preservation of special materials, or even general books in the library, depends a great deal on the good sense of the library staff in observing the norms of proper housekeeping. It is mainly the commitment and dedication of the library staff that accounts for books being preserved better in some libraries than in others. A clean environment which is free from insects, dust and other destructive agents is essential to check the deterioration of materials. Technically and professionally though the provision of clean environment is both possible and practicable, it still needs the commitment and cooperation from all parties to be effective. With the air-conditioning system, the Special Collection Room in the UKM Library is well-ventilated. It has also been found that vacuum cleaning the shelves, books, walls and floor is a more efficient way of keeping the room clean than the old method of dusting the books, walls and shelves which does not really clean but merely redistributes the dust from one part of the room to another. 

The life span of materials of course largely depends on how long and how well paper can endure the problem of ageing. The possibility of wear and tear from ceaseless interfiling, shifting and handling has been reduced significantly by closing the stacks to the general public. But, these is a hidden danger to preservation in this method also. And, it is that these materials are often liable to be neglected because of a lack of free access to them. It cannot be assumed that they are safe in the boxes. Even when there is the most rigid control of temperature and humidity, dust particles in the air could easily come to rest in the boxes. It is thus necessary to open the boxes regularly not only to air the books, but also to clean the inside of the boxes themselves. 

It is important to note that good care of special materials cannot be taken for granted. Library staff and readers need constant reminder of the importance of careful handling, proper storage and cleanliness. Readers need to be cautioned not to leave a book standing on its fore edge with leaves hanging down because this may result tearing the stitching. Similarly, dog ears should not be made at the corners. Leaves should be turned gently with clean fingers. Things like ink, food, drink, ashes and others should not come in contact with the books as they would cause the acidification process to accelerate and could also invite attack by insects. 

To end this brief discussion on preservation, it may be emphasized that there is in fact no meaningful distinction in managing books in either the general or special collection. All materials are equally important from that point of view and all need protecting and handling properly when they are used. With the shift of attitude towards access instead of mere possession, the UKM Library has taken the initial step in making them more accessible through a special microfiching project; which started in the middle of 1994. The whole collection will eventually be accessible world-wide following the successful completion of this project. Instead of scholars travelling to the collection, copies of these materials will travel to them. The provision of substitutions such as facsimile and reprints is the other positive step in minimizing the possibility of wear and tear through repeated or multiple handling of the originals. To readers and scholars conducting research, it does not really matter whether the information they need is available in printed original formats or in the form of photocopy, microform or facsimile, so long as is accessible within a reasonable time frame and with relative convenience. 

6. CONCLUSION

One of the distinctive features of the Schacht Collection is its early editions of many scholarly and reference books (appendix 3) including works on criticism, commentary and interpretation (see appendix 9). There are more such works in appendix 2 which lists exclusively books not classified and therefore not cited in the published catalogue. All these materials are treasured possessions. Following the resurgence of interest in Islamic studies all over the world, it is expected that more and more Islamic scholars and text editors will be attracted to the collection. This is because scholars strongly believe that original research requires the use of the original or earliest possible sources. This is particularly the case with history, biography or accounts of events written by participants, eye-witnesses or contemporaries. As it is difficult to access the original manuscripts, scholars will have to resort to first editions or the earliest published works available. These materials do not get out-dated. Like the original manuscripts, they are generally accepted as source materials for new research and writings. These secondary works, though transient in nature, will most likely continue to be written by and for each new generation, when existing facts are found to be biased, incorrect or outmoded. 

The fundamental strength of the Schacht Collection is basically the way Prof. J. Schacht himself had built it up. It is firstly its size and secondly the variety of the materials related to Islamic studies that comprise it which give the collection its unique character. Given due publicity, scholars interested in Islamic religious practices, Qur’anic interpretation, hadith, Islamic law (or Shari’ah), theology (aqidah), sufism and mysitcism, Islamic philosophy and psychology and so will be attracted to the collection. Though the collection is not growing, it is and will continue to occupy a central place in the Arabic and Islamic Civilization Collection in the UKM Library. 

The Schacht Collection is the ‘Jewel in the Crown’ Collection in the UKM Library. As any other special collection, this collection is significant and valuable to researchers in its own way. Though it is not growing in the sense that there are no new acquisitions, there is much sense in the general view that for it to remain attractive, it must grow in fame through publicity and research papers. This will further enhance the reputation of the collection and sustain scholars’ interest in it. The best way to publicize it is to actively involve the teaching faculties and other researchers in specific research projects. These projects will almost certainly help in renewing interest in the UKM Library on the one hand, and in creating awareness of the collection among the interested parties on the other. By virtue of its intrinsic strength and effective publicity, the Schacht Collection could bring together scholars of Islamic studies. This happy outcome will bring fame and prestige to the UKM Library, a prestige similar in magnitude to that enjoyed by the world famous Malay manuscript collections in Leiden University and the School of Oriental and African Studies in London. For its part, the library should see to it that the materials in this special collection are preserved as far as possible in their original formats for posterity. 

REFERENCES 

Bloomfield, B.C. "Notes on library provision for oriental and Asian studies in Great Britain". Journal of Librarianship 8:2 (April 1976): 111-121

Cameron, Kenneth J. and Roberts, Michael. "Desiderata file maintenance: purging and its politics". Journal of Librarianship 14(2) (April 1982): 123-130.

Clapinson, Mary. "Services and development issues related to manuscripts and other unique materials". Special Libraries 1993: 35-52.

Cullison, Bonnie Jo and Donaldson, Jean. "Conservation and curattors: a cooperative approach to treatment specifications". Library Trends (summer 1987): 229-239.

Feather, John. "The rarebook librarian and bibliographical scholarship". Journal of Librarianship 14:1 (Jan 1982): 30-43.

Koleksi khas: sebuah katalog dalam bidang pengajian Arab dan Tamaddun Islam. Bangi: Perpustakaan, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 1985.

Nichols, Harold. "The administration of local studies collection in Great Britain and northern Ireland". Journal of Librarianship 8:4 (Oct 1976): 243: 271.

Roberts, R.J. "Role and function of special collections in research and education: British and American perspectives". Special Libraries 993: 17-33.

Streit, Samuel A. "Acquiring rare books by purchase: recent library trends". Library Trends (Summer 1987): 189-213. 

APPENDIX

This list of materials used as examples in the paper was prepared specifically by Miss Rohaya Umar at my request.

1. a) A SELECTION OF BOOKS BY PROF. JOSEPH SCHACHT

An introduction to Islamic law. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1964.

Aus den bibliotheken von konstantinopel und Kairo.Berlin: Akademic der Wissenschaften, 1928. (ZZ /Z6620.E353) 

Aus orientalischen bibliotheken III. Berlin: Akademie der Wissenschften, 1931. (ZZ Z6620.T9S3)

De Arabieren en de Islam. Leiden: E.J. Brill, 1954.

Der Islam mitausschluss de Qo'ans. Tubingen: J.C.B. Mohr, 1931. (BP161.S3) 

Doctrines peculia to Islamic law. [n.p., 1958].

Droit byzantin et droit musulman. Roma: Accademia nazionale dei Lincei, 1956. 

Esquisse d'une histoire du droit musulman; traduit de l'anglais par Jeanne et Felix Arin. Paris: Librarie Orientale et Americaine, 1953.

Fi tarikh al-fiqh al-Islami. Beirut: al-Matba'ah al-Khathulikiyah, 1936. (41 BP143.A1S3)

Rad Musa ibn Maymun al-Qurtubi 'ala Jalinus fi al- falsafah wa al-'ilm al-Illahi. Qahirah: Matba'ah al-Ma'ahad al-'Ilmi al-Faransi lil Athar al-Sharqiyah, 1939. (41 BP163.52)

Report on the position of Muhammadan law in northern Nigeria. [1950]

Sociological aspects of Islamic law. Berkeley: Center for the Study of Law and Society, University of California, 1963.

Sur la diffusion des formes d'architecture religieuse musulmane a travers le Sahara. [n.p., n.d.]

The medico-philosophical controvery between Ibn Butlan of Baghdad and Ibn Ridwan of Cahira; a contributed to the history of Greek learning among the Arabs. Cairo Egyptian University, 1937. (R143.S35)

The origins of Muhammadan jurisprudence. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1950 (reprinted in 1959) and new edition 1967.

Zu meinem Islam-Lesebuch (Religions- geschichtliches Lesebuch, Heft 16). Tubingen: J.C.B. Mohr (Paul Siebeak), 1933. 

b) BOOKS EDITED BY JOSEPH SCHACHT

Bergstrasser, Gotthelf, 1886-1933. G. Bergstrasser's Grundzuge des islamischen rechts berarb und hrsg. von Joseph Schacht. Berlin und Leipzig: W. deGruyter & Co., 1935.

Galenus... Galen uber die medizinischen namen, arabisch und deutsch, herausgegeben von dr. med. dr. phil. b.c. Max Meyerhof ... und prof. Dr. Joseph Schacht ... Berlin: Verlag der Akademie der Wissenschaften, in kommission bei Walter de Gruyter U.Co., 1931.

Hurgronje, Christian Snouck, 1857-1936. Selected works. Edited in English and French by G.H. Bousquet and J. Schacht. Leiden: E.J. Brill, 1957.

The legacy of Islam. Edited by Joseph Schacht, with C.E. Bosworth. 2nd ed. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1974.

Mahmud Ibn al-Hasan, al-Kazwini, d.1048? Das Kitab al-hiial fil-fiqh (Buch der Rechtskniff) des abu Hatim Mahmud ibn al-Hasan al-Qazuim, mit Ubersetzung und Anmerkungen hrsg. von Joseph Schacht. Hannover: H. Lafaire, 1924.

Ibn al-Nafis, 'Ali ibn Abi al-Hazm, 1210 or 11-1288 The theologus autodidactus of Ibn al-Nafis.xford: Clarendon Press, 1968.

al-Qazwini, Mahmud ibn al-Hasan, d.1048? Das kitab al-hijal fil-fiqh (Buch der Rechtskniffe) des Abu Hatim Mahmud ibn al-Hasan al- Qazwini, mit Ubersetzung und Anmerkungen hrsg. von Joseph Schacht. Hannover: H. Lafaire, 1924. 

Qazwini, mit Ubersetzung und Anmerkungen hrsg. von Joseph Schacht. Hannover: H. Lafaire, 1924

al-Shaybani, Muhammad ibn al-Hasan, 750 (ca.) - 804 or 5 Das kitab al-Maharig fil-hijal des Muhammad ibn al-Hasan as-Saibani. Hildesheim: G. Olms, 1968.

al-Shaybani, Muhammad ibn al-Hasan, 750 (ca.) - 804 or 5 al-Makharij fi al-hijal des Muhammad ibn al-Hasan as-Saibani in 2 rezensionen hrsg. von Joseph Schacht. Hildesheim: G. Olms, 1968. 

al-Tabari, 838? - 923 Das konstantinopler fragment des kitab ihtilaf al-fuqaha' des Abu Ga'far Muhammad ibn Garr al-Tabari. hrsg. von Joseph Schacht. Leiden: E.J. Brill, 1933.

al-Tahawi, Ahmad ibn Muhammad, 852? - 933... Das kitab adkar al-huquq war-ruhun aus dem al-Gami' al-kabir fis-surut des Abu Ga'far Ahmad ibn Muhammad at-Tahawi, herausgegeben von Joseph Schacht ... Heidelberg: C. Winter, 1927.  

al-Tahawi, Ahmad ibn Muhammad, 852? - 933... Das kitab as-suf'a aus dem al-Gami' al-Kabir fis-surut des Abu Ga'far Ahmad ibn Muhammad at Tahawi, herausgegeben von Joseph Schacht. ... Heidelberg: C. Winter, 1930.

al-Tahawi, Ahmad ibn Muhammad, 852? - 933 Kitab al-shafaah min al-jami' al-kabir fi al-shurut. [Heidelberg: C. Winter, 1930].

2. EXAMPLES OF TITLES NOT IN THE CATALOUGE

Tamir, 'Arif Haqiqah Ikhwan al-Safa' wa khillan al-Wafa'. Beirut: Matba'at al-Kathulikiyah, 1957. (B746.T3)

Ibn Tufayl, Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-Malik Risalah Hayy ibn Yaqzan fi asrar al-hikmat al-mushraqiyyah. Beyrouth: Imprimerie Catholique, 1936. (B753.J53R5) 

Farrukh, 'Umar Ibn Bajjah wa al-falsafat al-Maghrabiyyah. Beirut: Matabah Munaymanah, 1952.

Khasru, Hakim nasir Kitab zad-al-musafirin. Berlin: Kaviani G.M.b. H (no date). (B740.K5)

al-Baghdadi, Ibrahim ibn Abd Allah al-Qari manaqib al-Qari. Beirut: Muassassat al-Tunath al-Arabi, 1959. (B753.I2Z75)

'Abd al-Razzaq, 'Ali al-Ijma' fi al-shari'ah al-Islamiyyah. Qahirah: Dar al-Fikr al-'Arabi, 1947.

Schacht, Joseph The origins of Muhammadan jurisprudence. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1950.

Ibn Babawayh, Muhammad Kitab man la yahdiruhi al-faqih. (s.l.): (s.n.), 1307H.

Kitab jawahir al-kalam. (s.l.): (s.n.), 1335H.

Kitab tadhkirah khawad al-ummah fi ma'rifah al-a'immah. (s.l.): (s.n.), (n.d.)

Kitab bihar al-anwar. 25 jilid. (s.l.): (s.n.), (n.d.)

3. THE OLDEST BOOKS

Ibn Khaqan Qalaid al'aqyan. Paris, 185/277H. (PJ7553.I18)

al-Shati, Jamil Afendi Mukhtasar tabaqat al-Hanabilah. Damshiq: Matba'ah al-Turqi, 339H. (950M.) (BP192.3.S38)

al-Hamzawi, Mahmud Afendi Aydah al-maqal fi al-dirham wa al-mithqal. Damshiq: Matba'ah al-Ma'arif, 303H. (915M) (HG235.H3)

Ibn Qutaybah, Abd Allah ibn Muslim Adab al-katib. Leiden: Brill, 1600. (PJ6025.I285)

Erpenius, Thomas Grammatica Arabica quinque libries methodice explicata a thoma erpenio. Leidae: In Officina Raphelengiana, 1613. (PJ6301.E55)

4. THE NEWEST BOOKS

al-Mahamasani, Subhi Rajab al-Nazariyat al-'ammah lil mujibat wa al-'uqud fi al-shari'ah l-Islamiyah bahth muqarin fi al-madhahib al-mukhtalifah wa al-qawanin al-hadithah. Beirut: Maktabah al-Kashaf, 1984. (BP158.O6M3)

al-Kawthari, Muhammad Zahid ibn al-Hasan. Lamhat al- nazar fi sirah al-Imam Rafad. al-Qahirah: Matba'ah al-Anwar, 1398H/1978M. (BP80.Z8K38) 

Ullendorff, Edward The challenge of Amrharic; an inaugural lecture delivered on 29th Oct 1964. London: School of Oriental and African Studies, Univ. of London, 1972. (PJ5201.U4) 

Le Tourneau, Roger The Almohad movement in North Africa in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. Princeton (N.J.): Princeton University Press, 1969. (DT199.L4)

Gaudefroy-Demombynes, Maurice Mahomet. 2nd ed. Paris: Editions Albin Michel, 1969. (BP75.13.G34 1969) 

5. BOOKS WHICH ARE DUPLICATED IN OTHER COLLECTIONS

al-Ghazzali Kitab ihya' 'ulum al-Din. [Misr]: 1318- /1898-. (B753.G33I2)

Ib Kathir, Isma'il ibn 'Umar al-Bidayah wa al-nihayah fi al-tarikh. Misr: Matba'ah al-Sa'adah, 1932. (D17.I12)

Ibn al-'Arabi, Muhammad ibn 'Abd Allah Kitab ahkam al-Qur'an. Misr: Matba'ah al-Sa'adah, 1331/1911. (BP130.4.I15)

al-Shafi'i, Muhammad ibn Idris Kitab al-Umm. Bulaq: al-Matba'ah al-Kubra al-Amiriyah, 321/1901. (BP153.S38)

al-Sarkhasi, Muhammad ibn Ahmad Kitab al-Mabsut. Misr: Matba'ah al-Sa'adah, 324-1331(1904-1911). (BP152.S2)

6. PRIMARY SOURCES

al-Jassas, Ahmad ibn 'Ali Kitab ahkam al-Qur'an. Misr: Matba'ah al-Awqaf al-Islamiyah, 1335/1915. (BP130.4.J37)

al-Shawkani, Muhammad ibn 'Ali Nayl al-awtar. Misr: Idrah al-Taba'ah al-Muniriyah, 1344(1927). (BP135.I23S4)

al-Ghazzali Kitab Ihya' ulum al-din. [Misr]: 1318- /1898-. (B753.G33I3) 

Ibn Kathir al-Bidayah wa al-nihayah fi al-tarikh. Misr: Matba'ah al-Sa'adah, 1932. (D17.I12)

al-Suyuti Kitab al-Itqan fi 'ulum al-Qur'an. 2nd ed. Misr: al-Matba'ah al-Azhariyah, 1952. (BP130.S9 1925)

7. WORKS BY PRINCIPAL AUTHORS

Ibn Hazam, 'ali ibn Ahmad Rasail Ibn Hazam al-Andalusi. Misr: Maktabah al-Khanaji, 1955. (41 BP25.I2)

al-Qari al-Baghdadi, Ibrahim ibn 'Abd Allah Manaqib Ibn 'Arabi. Beirut: Mu'assasat al-Turath al-'Arabi, 1959. (B753.I2Z75)

al-Razi, Fakhr al-Din Muhammad ibn 'Umar Kitab fihi manaqib al-Imam al-Shafi'i. Misr: Maktabah al-'Alaqiyah, [19--]. (BP80.S38R3)

Ibn al-Jawzi, Abu al-Farj 'Abd al-Rahman ibn 'Ali Manaqib al-Imam ahmad ibn Hanbal. Misr: Matba'ah al-Sa'adah, 1349. (PJ7803.I36605) 

Ibn al-Jawzi, abu al-Farj 'Abd al-Rahman ibn 'Ali al-Hasan al-Basri. Misr: Maktabah al-Khanaji, 1350/1931. (41 BP80.H288I25) 

8. WORKS IN SETS AND SERIES

al-Bukhari, Muhammad ibn Isma'il Sahih al-Bukhari. Bulaq: al-matba'ah al-Kubra al-Amiriyah, 1314-15/1894-95. (41 BP135.B8)

Ibn Qudamah, Muwafiq al-Din 'Abd Allah ibn Ahmad al-Mughni li Ibn Qudamah. Misr: al-Matba'ah al-Manar, 1314-48/1921-28. (BP155.I27)

al-Sarkhasi, Muhammad ibn Ahmad Kitab al-mabsut. Misr: Matba'ah al-Sa'adah, 1324-1331/1904-1911. (BP152.S2) 

al-Shafi'i, Muhammad ibn Idris Kitab al-Umm. Bulaq: al-Matba'ah al-Kubra al-Amiriyah, 1321/1901. (BP153.S38)

al-Ghazzali Kitab Ihya' 'ulum al-din. [Misr]: 1318- /1898-. (B753.G3) 

9. CRITICISM/COMMENTARY/INTERPRETATION

Muslim ibn al-Hijjaj al-Qushayri Sahih Muslim bi sharh al-Nawawi. al-Qahirah: al-Matba'ah al-Misriyah, 1347/1929. (BP135.A144I5)

Furukh, 'Umar Ibn Tufayl wa qissah Hayy ibn Yaqzan. Beirut, 1959. (B753.I54F3)

al-Zarqani, Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-Baqi Sharh al-Zarqani 'ala Muwatta' al-Imam Malik. Misr: al-Maktabah al-Tijariyah al-Kubra, 1936-. (BP154.Z8)

al-'Ayni, Badr al-Din Mahmud ibn Ahmad 'Amadah al-Qari li sharh Sahih al-Bukhari. Misr: Dar al-Taba'ah al-Amirah, 1308/1816. (BP135.A128A88)

al-Tirmizi, Muhammad ibn 'Isa Sahih al-Tirmizi bi sharh Ibn al-'Arabi al-Maliki. al-Qahirah: al-Matba'ah al-Misriyah, 1931-34. (BP135.A15)

• This is a revised version of a paper presented at Seminar Antarabangsa Koleksi Khas Pengajian Asia Tenggara, held at Perpustakaan Tun Seri Lanang, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 19-21 Jun 1995.
• The writer expresses his appreciation to Dr. Muhammad Kamlin for his assistance in polishing this paper.

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