Accessibility of Malay Islamic manuscripts in the digital era Challenges and opportunities for libraries in building a sustainable Islamic civilization

Abstract

The accessibility of Islamic Malay manuscripts in the digital era has become a strategic issue in efforts to preserve intellectual heritage while strengthening sustainable Islamic civilization. These manuscripts contain high historical, religious, and local wisdom values; however, they continue to face numerous obstacles in terms of physical preservation, limited access, and the lack of systematic digitization. This study aims to analyze the challenges and opportunities faced by libraries in improving the accessibility of Islamic Malay manuscripts through the utilization of digital technology. The method employed is a qualitative approach through literature study, examining various scientific journals, academic books, and institutional reports related to manuscript digitization. The findings reveal that the primary challenges include a shortage of competent human resources, uneven technological infrastructure, copyright issues, and low awareness of the importance of digital preservation. On the other hand, significant opportunities exist through the development of digital repositories, inter-institutional collaboration, and the utilization of technologies such as digital humanities and open access. Libraries play a central role as agents of transformation in managing, preserving, and disseminating Islamic Malay manuscripts to be widely accessible to the global community. These findings underscore the strategic role of libraries as agents of civilizational transformation, and highlight that well-planned digitization initiatives are essential not only for preserving heritage but also for advancing an inclusive, knowledge-based, and sustainabl e Islamic civilization.