1] Abdul Hameed Shoman Fund For Supporting Scientific Research
Abdul Hameed Shoman Fund for Supporting Scientific Research, was established in 1999, and, as the name indicates , as practical manifestation of the Foundation’s policy of providing support for scientific research and its promotion in Jordanian universities and scientific institutions and centers, provided that the nominated research is listed among the national priorities for scientific research and conforms to the policy and direction of the Foundation.
The Fund is administered by a committee comprised of a chair and five members, who are highly qualified and are experts in various fields. Among the committee’s tasks is setting the basis and standards by which support for scientific research, which also includes research projects of post-graduate students, is undertaken. Committee’s decisions are based on recommendations made by expert scientific bodies in the universities and other scientific institutions.
Fund regulations require that applications for support of scientific research projects should be submitted following their evaluation by the institution for which a researcher works. 
Fund Administration Committee
The Fund is managed by a special committee comprised of a chairman and five members who are highly qualified and possess varied scientific expertise. They are:
Dr. Ali Mahafdhah – professor in the history department at the University of Jordan - chairman
Dr. Munzer Al-Masri - chairman of the National Council for Development of Human Resources – member
Dr. Wajih Oweiss- President of the University of Science and Technology- member
Dr. Ahmad Salem- Professor of Physics at Yarmouk University- member
Eng. Umar Abu Wishah- Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors and General Manager of Petra Engineering Industries Company- member
Director General of Abdul Hamid Shoman Foundation - member
Conditions for Submitting Applications for Funding
All applicants requesting funding for scientific research projects should complete “Application for Research Project”
This Application is to include the following:
Name of individual submitting the project
Applicant's employment address
Applicant’s academic rank
Preliminary title of the project
Project objectives
Brief review of work conducted by previous researchers on the subject of the project, what the applicant managed to accomplish, and what aspects require further research.
Project plan along with a timetable for its essential stages and an executive summary of its scientific feasibility.
Projected budget for the project that indicates all itemized expenditures.
All entities funding the project (if any).

2] Cultural Forum
Abdul Hameed Shoman Foundation strives to create the proper climate for the interaction of leaders of intellectual and scientific projects. In this context, Abdul Hameed Shoman Cultural Forum is a free platform that hosts the most pronounced Arab intellectuals, scientists, educators and innovators, and the Forum’s activities attract Jordanian and Arab intellectual forces.
The Forum was established in 1986 ( called Scientific and Cultural Center then) with the goal of creating a platform where intellectuals, researchers and persons of expertise can meet with the public to review and debate intellectual, political, economic, social and cultural issues that concern citizens and the homeland, in addition to have a view of international issues.
By undertaking these activities, Abdul Hameed Shoman Foundation seeks to accomplish two essential objectives: encourage and facilitate the exchange of information and dissemination of knowledge on the one hand, and encourage democratic debate as one of the means to deal with challenges that confront the Arab nation on the other.
Abdul Hameed Shoman Cultural Forum, therefore, is the Foundation’s connection to Arab and Jordanian public, represented by its offers of lectures, seminars and other activities. The Foundation has constantly worked to maintain production of public lectures, and is keen, at the same time, on having these cover various subjects in a serious worthwhile manner, within an all-encompassing criteria. Moreover, the Forum facilitates the dissemination of works covered by these lectures for the public’s maximum advantage.
The distinguished standards of lectures, and efforts to openly tackle modern intellectual issues, while simultaneously caring for issues of heritage and traditions, have earned the Forum a prominent position as a center for culture in Jordan and throughout the Arab world. Activities and lectures sponsored by the Forum are given by intellectual, cultural and professional personalities from Jordan and other Arab countries who are renowned in their fields of expertise.
Monday Lecture:
Held every Monday and covers subjects of concern to the nation, and Jordanian and Arab citizens. Lecturers are from Jordan or other Arab countries, and introduced to the public by leading individuals in thought, politics or culture in general.
Debate of the Month:
A number of professors renowned in their respective fields, from Jordan or other Arab countries, are invited to discuss and debate issues that concern Arab society. The format is that of a roundtable discussion to which a number of experts are invited.
Quarterly Seminar
The Foundation has lately concentrated on presenting specialized seminars in which a number of researchers and experts participate. Therefore, a new specialized quarterly seminar was established that deals with important literary and political subjects. Many of these seminars, which tackle important topics, have been held so far with the participation of experts from Jordan and other Arab countries.
Guest of the Year
Since 1997 the Foundation has adopted this program that aims at honoring renowned leaders who made great contributions and created profound impact on society in the various intellectual, literary, scientific and cultural domains. This has been done within the framework of a seminar that gathers a group of professors and researchers who have connections with, or interest in the ideas and work of the person honored Publications of the Foundation
During the past two decades the Foundation continued to publish or supported the publication of a number of scientific and cultural books, directly or in cooperation with other institutions. The outcome of that effort was the publication of a number of compositions that relate to economic, scientific, technical, intellectual and heritage issues, in addition to some encyclopedias and translations.
However, since 1997, publishing has become anchored in the Foundation’s core agenda, within particular plans and fixed guidelines. Since then, it has been decided to implement a solid plan to publish works emanating from activities held by Abdul Hameed Shoman Cultural Forum in book format for documentation purposes and to expand their benefits to a larger audience, in cooperation with local publishing houses that have Arab and international extensions. In this context, the Foundation has issued tens of books that dealt with various subjects related to local, Arab and international issues.
Cinema:
By late 1989, Abdul Hameed Shoman Foundation began to take interest in disseminating cinematic culture, and screening distinguished Arab and international films in order to diversify its cultural activities and encourage greater interaction between Arab and other cultures. In 1995 the Foundation created a screening room in which carefully selected films are shown, from the classics to modern experimental films that attract great numbers of viewers of all layers and tastes. Accompanying the screening of a particular film, there is usually a published review and analysis of the film and often there is an open discussion following the showing. Such discussions are considered an important tool in enhancing the artistic taste of the public. Moreover, the Foundation often invites directors, critics and actors to take part in open discussions with the audience.
During the past few years, a number of festivals and international films weeks were held, such as those designated for Chinese, Egyptian, Tunisian, Lebanese, Syrian, Iranian, French, American, Cuban, Swedish, and Japanese cinemas among others. This is often done in cooperation with Arab and foreign cultural institutions and centers.

3] Library:
Abdul Hameed Shoman Public Library was established in 1986 in concordance with the objectives of Abdul Hameed Shoman Foundation, which espouse support for scientific research, institution of a modern library that would include various sources of information in different branches of knowledge, and making these sources available to researchers and reading public. The Library was officially opened on 8/1/1986.
In line with the Foundation’s conviction of the significance of the use of technology, Library operations and functions have been automated since its commencement, and thus became one of the leading computerized libraries in Jordan. The Library adopted the method of subjective indexing and analysis in its treatment of acquired material, basing this choice on an international classification system, which is Dewey Decimal Classification System, Anglo-American cataloguing rules and the Expanded Thesaurus.
To keep abreast of developments in information, the Library has subscription to many data bases that include thousands of periodicals in all branches of knowledge, most of which contain full texts, in addition to acquiring a decent collection of CDs and audiovisual cassettes. It also offers free Internet access to its users. The Library offers individual or family subscriptions to Jordanians, Arab, and foreign nationals in Jordan, as well as institution subscription to Jordanian and other institutions in the country. Subscriptions of various types are unlimited in duration and are given for a symbolic insurance fee, which is returned to the subscriber once subscription is canceled, thus it is actually a free subscription.
As cooperation and reciprocity among libraries are deemed significant by the Foundation, the Library maintains exchange relations with many libraries and scientific and cultural centers on the local, Arab and international levels. The Library regularly grants collections of books to nascent libraries all over the Kingdom and holds various training courses in library operations for individuals and institutions.
Perhaps one of the most important achievements in this regard is the Library’s support for the establishment and development of libraries in a number of the Kingdom’s governorates in cooperation with municipalities, and the support given to libraries in Palestine in cooperation with municipalities of its major cities; in addition to operating a mobile library that tours the various areas of the Kingdom, in cooperation with Haya Cultural Center.
Considering the position it has attained, the Library was designated in early 2002 by the International Monetary Fund as depository for the Fund’s paper publications, and at the end of the same year, as depository for the Fund’s data bases.
Project for Supporting Libraries in Jordan
The Library has taken the initiative to expand the reach of its services beyond the city of Amman to cities and towns in other governorates of Jordan. Therefore, in 1998 the project for supporting newly established libraries in the Kingdom’s governorates was launched within the context of a cooperation agreement between the Foundation and the municipalities, whereby the Foundation would contribute the following:
Donate library furnishing and equipment such as shelves, tables, chairs, desks, computers, etc..
Donate appropriate libraray materials, such as, books, periodicals, etc... , suitable for users. The Library would continue to regularly replenish newly established libraries.
The Library would undertake indexing and cataloging of all library material and their setup prior to handing them, along with necessary indexes, to a particular library.
Keep track of upgrading efforts of these libraries and their services.
Provide assistance in developing and training qualified human resources to operate these libraries.
The Foundation had supported the establishment of (6) libraries in the following cities: Irbid, Jerash, Tafileh, Madaba, Mafrag, and Karak. knowing that these libraries service basically two categories: Children and Youth.
Project for Supporting Libraries in Palestine
Due to the many problems that affect libraries and information centers in occupied Palestine, such as lack of resources and sources, the Foundation has instituted in 1998 the project for supporting libraries in Palestine, in cooperation with municipalities of major towns in Palestine. The Foundation has donated a collection of books covering all fields of knowledge and, as of 2002, was able to offer support to 12 municipal libraries in the following Palestinian towns: Ramallah, Al-Bireh, Silfit, Tulkarm, Jenin, Hebron, Nablus, Qalqilya, Jericho, Gaza City, Tobas and Bethlehem.
Mobile Library Project
The Library, in cooperation with Haya Cultural Center, has taken part since mid 1998, in operating the Mobile Library, which travels to distant and isolated communities in the Kingdom to offer library services, particularly to individual readers who have no easy access to libraries in major cities. In this regard, the Foundation has done the following:
Provided furniture and other library supplies.
Donated acquisitions of books, periodicals and other library material, covering various subjects suitable for children and youngsters.
Prepared necessary indexing of these acquisitions.
Provided library services in accordance with trips schedule
Follow development of library acquisitions and services.
A library employee to accompany it through it's tours.
Publication of Unified Lists of Periodicals in Jordan
The project commenced in 1998 with the publication of the unified list of foreign periodicals, followed by the Arabic list in 1989, with the participation of over 70 libraries in Jordan, when 5 editions of the unified list of foreign periodicals were published, four of which in paper form and the last on CD. Four editions of the unified list of Arabic periodicals were published, and currently the electronic publication of the fifth edition of the Arabic periodicals list is in the works. Publication of these lists aims at achieving the following objectives:
Take part in inter library loan among libraries in Jordan.
Contribute to effect cooperation among libraries participating in these lists by sharing information that would lead to cutting unnecessary multiple subscriptions to periodicals, thus help in alleviating financial costs incurred by these libraries.
Contribute to simplifying the tasks of researchers and scholars in searching for available periodicals in Jordan by publishing a useful guide to these periodicals.
The Expanded Thesaurus (Maknaz) Project
The goal behind this project is the development of an extensive Arabic thesaurus that would encompass all fields of knowledge - something that most libraries and information centers in the Arab world lack – to serve as the basic instrument of subjective analysis of information retrieval devices, and to keep abreast with developments taking place in information technology. In mid 1993, an agreement for developing an extensive trilingual (Arabic – English – French) Arab thesaurus was concluded between AHS Foundation, the Dubai Municipality, and Jum’ah Al-Majid Center for Culture and Heritage in Dubai, UAE. By mid 1995, the first paperback edition of the thesaurus was issued, containing some 48,000 terms. The electronic version was issued in mid 2001 on CD, and it contained some 50,000 terms. This version is marked by a set of technical specifications that were specifically added to suit the purposes of this issue of the thesaurus as well as to make search and retrieval easier for persons doing the indexing and cataloging. www.maknaz.com
Arabization Project of Dewey Decimal Classification System
AHS Library is involved in a collaborative effort with the Arab League Educational Cultural and Scientific Organization (ALECSO) on a project for the Arabization of Dewey Decimal Classification system, 21st edition, which is considered one of the main tools and instruments for Arab classifiers, as well as the most commonly used in libraries across the Arab world. The Organization, in cooperation with a number of other Arab institutions, is in the process of issuing the paperback and electronic editions of this system. AHS Library is one of those institutions that were chosen by the Organization as representative of the Sham countries and Iraq for this project.
Distribution of Library Automation System WINISIS
AHS Foundation has been chosen as a national distributor for library automation system WINISIS since early 90’s. The Foundation has since then distributed the system to many university, public, school and specialized libraries in Jordan. The system was developed by UNESCO and was Arabized by the Documentation and Information Center of the Arab League’s General Secretariat. The system is distributed free of charge to non-for-profit organizations in developing countries, as a contribution by UNESCO for establishing libraries. Several editions of this system were issued using DOS operating system, and the latest Arabized edition, called WINISIS, uses WINDOWS operating system, which the Library has started to distribute in coordination with the Documentation and Information Center of the General Secretariat of the Arab League.