According to Ayman Fu'ād Sayyid the number of Manuscripts in Egypt estimated to 125,000 which puts Egypt in the second position in this regard, Turkey being the first. As of 1968 and according to Mahmūd al-Shunytī, a Deputy of Ministry of Culture, the Dār has 64,000 volumes of manuscripts.1 The oldest manuscript is a copy of the Qur'ān written on a leather dated back to year 77/696. This copy of the Qur'ān was once owned by al-Hasan al-Basrī, a pious Muslim (died in 110/728).2 The second oldest manuscript preserved in the Dār is al-Risālah of the Imām Muhammad ibn Idrīs al-Shāfi`ī the founder of one of the four madhhabs (sects) in Sunnī Islam (died in 205/820). This particular work was copied by al-Rabī` ibn Sulaymān al-Murādī, one of al-Shāfi`ī's followers, in 265/878.3 The Dār also, has a significant collection of Persian manuscripts with portrays and paints which go back to the 8th century/14th century. Among these manuscripts are Kalilah wa dimnah and the Firdawsi's work Shahnameh. The number of Turkish manuscripts reached 5,144 volumes. The Dār prepared a bibliography of these works.4
In addition, there are 3,000 papyrus represent different periods of the history of Egypt, history of Islam, as well as other individual documents such as contracts, wells, tax records, and others. It is important to mention that despite the first discovery of papyrus in 1824, the Dār did not start to pay attention to include such important literature in its collection until a later time since its establishment. Thanks to Dr. Bernard Moritz, the Director of the Dār, who gave a special concern to acquire papyrus. The oldest papyrus is dated in 78/697. It is worth mentioning that among these papyrus, there is a complete work of Wahb in Munabbih (d197/812) in the tradition of Prophet Muhammad (`ilm al-hadīth) entitled al-Jāmi` fī al-hadith al-nabawaī.5
There is also a collection of Islamic Coins preserved in Dār al-Kutub. Stanley Lane-Poole published this collection in Catalogue of the Collection of Arabic Coins Preserved in the Khedivial Library at Cairo, London: 1897. This particular collection consists of 2,660 pieces, the oldest of which is a dirham dated back to the year 77/696. This dirham was coined in the reign of the Umayyad Caliph `Abd al-Malik ibn Marwān (65/685-86/705).6
In a hundred years when it 1970, the number of printed books in Arabic and non-Arabic languages reached three quarters of a million items.7 This number is considered a modest number for a national library of a country such as Egypt with its deep history to have on its shelves. It seems that financial situation falls short of being near satisfactory one. Giving the fact that a library such as Dār al-Kutub has been played an important role in the educational life of not only the Egyptians but also in the Arab and Muslim in general, this library deserves more attention especially from the developed nations. By preserving an important collections of manuscripts, papyrus, paints, maps and others, one can conclude that the Dār played a significant role in preserving the Egyptian culture and history. This role must be continued and the Dār must get the assistants, especially the technological ones, needed to enable her to continue playing this role.