A sanctuary for learning, reflection, and cultural exchange.
Why the Center?
Established in 2025, the Senan Shaibani Cultural Center celebrates scholarship, dialogue, and the preservation of knowledge.
Located in Lincoln, Texas. 45 miles east of Austin, 45 miles west of College Station, and about 110 miles northwest of Houston.
About Senan Shaibani
Senan Shaibani devoted his life to education and cultural dialogue. His studies in Middle Eastern thought and his dedication to human rights shaped a vision of knowledge as both a right and a responsibility.
Through his writing, teaching, and activism, Senan inspired those around him to see learning as a shared pursuit. This Center continues his legacy by creating a space where ideas can meet, traditions can be explored, and new understanding can emerge.
Libraries and Archives
The Center welcomes scholars from around the world to use its resources for study and collaboration.
Our quiet location and well-curated collections make the Center an ideal setting for focused research, writing, and reflection.
The Center is developing a public-facing catalog of its holdings. This database is maintained internally and will expand as materials are processed and classified. A beta version will be available for researchers.
Rifʿat al-Saʿīd Library
While smaller in size, this library houses many of our journal collections, including a range of titles from Egypt as well as materials from our journalism collection.
Barbara Harlow Library
This is our main library, located within our beautiful reading room. It is dedicated to the late Barbara Harlow, a pivotal scholar in the field whose work centered on women of the region, postcolonial thinking, and human rights activism. Many of the books come from her personal collection, and we are proud to preserve and share them
Dr. Tariq and Jacqueline Ismail Archives
This collection is dedicated to the Ismails, who were distinguished scholars and writers in the field and worked out of Calgary, Canada. They made significant contributions through numerous publications and by founding the International Journal of Contemporary Iraqi Studies. The collection includes a range of titles from their personal library, along with an extensive archive of Middle Eastern newspapers, posters, and other memorabilia.
Collaborations
The Center collaborates with the University of Texas at Austin, Texas A&M University, the University of Houston, and Rice University to support students in Middle Eastern and Arabic Studies programs. Access to materials is free of charge, with appropriate citation to the Center.
