It is established in 1957, reorganized in 1968. The centre has taken over the duties and responsibilities of the "Literary Division" affiliated to the National Library, and which was founded over 100 years ago.The centre's main concern includes the care of Arab and Islamic manuscripts available in Egypt or ones that have been much less studied abroad. This also ensures a steady qualitative and quantitative increase in substantive editing and publishing of manuscripts that enrich our intellectual, religious and cultural life. The result of this work is a comprehensive library of our legacy in almost all branches of human knowledge : Exegesis, Tradition, Jurisprudence, Linguistics, Literature, Philosophy, Medicine, History, Geography, Music,etc.

The centre through its professional staff members, is responsible for upgrading and developing the trainees of the younger generation who are qualified for editing jobs.

The centre assists the Arab and Islamic countries in editing the manuscripts of their own interests, cooperating with the other foreign research centres, located in Cairo, by publishing their edited materials.