Awni Thaher "Abu Aref" was born in the village of Yasid, located in Nablus District. Thaher studied chemistry and graduated from the University of Jordan, joined the teaching profession and taught at several schools. He received a diploma of educational qualification from an-Najah National University in Nablus, and held the position of head of the Department of Educational Techniques and Relations in the Directorate of Education. He is interested in collecting Palestinian heritage items and has hundreds of documents on education and social conditions in Palestine, dating back to the Ottoman state and the British Mandate Government.

The Awni Thaher Collection contains several photographs showing the sports festival that was held at the Jenin Girls Secondary School in the 1960s, as well as various documents, including correspondence and official letters addressed from the Samaria Department of Education to the teachers working in the District schools in the 1930s and 1940s. The collection also includes correspondence from and to the Inspector of Education in the 1950s regarding annual transfers, in addition to receipts.