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Bibliotheca Alexandrina—Reviving a legacy of the past for a brighter common future
ht. Libr. Rev. (1991) 23, 255-269
Bibliotheca Alexandrina-Reviving Legacy of the Past for a Brighter Common Future .JACQUES
a
TOCATLIAN*
After briefly recalling the creation, organization, role and destruction of the Ancient Library of Alexandria, this article describes the scope and objectives of the new Bibliotheca Alexandrina and its functions and organization in six departments. It explains the symbolic and aesthetic values of the winning design for the new library, the budget required for its creation, and the international support so far obtained. It summarizes the steps undertaken by Egypt, UNESCO and UNDP and briefly explains the future strategy for proceeding with the implementation of the project. It concludes by highlighting the meaning of the new Bibliotheca Alexandrina for Egypt, UNESCO and the International Community.
THE
ANCIENT
LIBRARY-THE
GLORIOUS
CENTURIES
Demetrios of Phaleron, the first director of the Library appointed by Ptolemy I in the early third century B.C., organized the library applying Aristotelian ideas, principles and methods of scientific, historical and literacy research. The Library which was part of the museon, or temple of muses, was divided into departments, each headed by a dean. It contained 10 large research halls, each devoted to a separate subject, botanical gardens, a zoo, dissecting rooms and an observatory. The whole environment was organized to facilitate discussions, research and reflection. Served by an aggressive acquisition policy, the great library was also used as a copying shop, a translation centre and a publication office. The cataloguing achievements of Callimachus, in addition to the descriptive and evaluative features added to the documents, further enhanced the prestige of the library as a unique information and learn-
* UNESCO Special Advisor for the project Bibliotheca Office of Information 0020-7837/91/030255+
Programmes 15,03.00/O
Alexandrina.
E’ormerly
Director
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and Services. 0
1991 Academic
Press Limited
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ing centre. The size of the collection must have been in the vicinity of 500 000 papyrus scrolls, although various figures are given by different authors. (The normal papyrus roll was about 20 feet long unrolled and 10 to 12 inches high). ’ An abundance of articles, research papers and books refer to the Library of Alexandria becoming the centre of Hellenic learning since scholars came to exchange information, to study and explore astronomy, physics, mathematics, geometry, anatomy, biology, geography, literature, philosophy and engineering. Among the many famous scholars and scientists whose names are attached to the Library of Alexandria we could cite Euclid the mathematician, Appolonious the geometrician, Hypatia the astronomer and mathematician, Eratosthenes the astronomer and philosopher, Hipparchus who mapped the constellations, and the astronomer and geographer Cladius Ptolemy who developed the techniques of map drawing. In the medical area Hippocrates proclaimed the natural sequence of disease, Herophilus established the brain as the seat of intelligence and Galen compiled an authoritative treaty which was referred to until the early seventeenth century. In engineering, Hero of Alexandria and Archimedes are mechanical geniuses who have produced numerous inventions.233 These achievements could only be accomplished with the help of the exceptional library facilities available at Alexandria. Before Alexandria, knowledge was regional, but with the creation of the Library of Alexandria, as the first universal library, knowledge too became universal.
FIRE
AND
DESTRUCTION
The reason for the disappearance of the ancient library remains conjectural. Scholars generally believe that at least a portion of the “Mother” library was destroyed by fire at the time of Julius Caesar’s siege of Alexandria in 48 B.C. Some think that the whole library was destroyed, whereas others refer to 40000 books which had been removed from the library and stored in a warehouse for shipment to Rome being subsequently destroyed when blazing ships drifted into piers and the fire spread to the warehouse district. A paradoxical fact is that Alexandria built of stone, marble and masonry, was known as the most fire-proof city in the ancient world. In any case, a few years later, Anthony had the whole library of Pergamum containing some 200 000 scrolls transferred to Alexandria by way of compensation. The “Daughter” library, located in the temple
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of Serapis (or Serapeum) continued to satisfy the needs of scholars for four more centuries until it seems to have been destroyed together with the temple in 391 A.D., under Theophilus I, Patriarch and ruler of Alexandria. A final reference was made in the early thirteenth century to the destruction of the library by Amr Ibn al As when he conquered Alexandria in 642 A.D. It is probably a medieval fabrication propagated by supporters of the new regime of Saladin to justify his sale of the libraries of the Fatimids.4 It is generally believed that by the time Alexandria had finished witnessing the wars, revolutions, conquests and riots which spread over time, there was not a great deal left for the Islamic conquerors of the mid-seventh century to destroy. However, since some of the Greek works have come down to us in Arabic translation, the manuscripts were still in existence at the time the Arabs made Alexandria a military citadel. An additional fact should be kept in mind. With the passage of time and progress, the library, or whatever remained ofit, had most probably become obsolete. The papyrus scroll, prone to rapid deterioration, had been superseded by the more easily handled codex, a set of rectangular manuscript sheets bound between wooden or leather covers, which appeared towards the end of the third century A.D.”
THE
REVIVAL
OF
AN
IDEA
No matter how the Ancient Library disappeared, the fact remains that the Egyptian Government with the assistance of the International Community wants to revive it. This plan must be properly understood. It is not a question of constructing a building resembling the ancient library, nor of seeking to reconstitute the ancient collections so as to create a kind of museum in replica. The aim is to create a new institution which will play an influential role throughout the region, owing to the quality of its services and the wealth of its collections; in other words, to transpose the ancient idea into modern terms. It is the revival of a movement, a tradition, an idea. . . The new institution will be a public library for research, open to all who wish to make use of its exceptional facilities. It will also be international in scope, welcoming researchers not only from Egypt but also from the other Mediterranean and Middle Eastern countries and from all over the world.6 As stated in the Aswan Declaration7 “On the site of the palace of the Ptolemies, the new Alexandrina will give modern expression to an ancient endeavour. A splendid contemporary design for the Library has already been adopted through an international architectural competition. Detailed plans exist for a facility embodying the latest computer technology and
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serving as a public research library. Conceived in the framework of the World Decade for Cultural Development, this institution will be open to researchers not only from the Mediterranean countries but from all over the world. Its specialized collections will relate to the Egyptian, other Middle-Eastern and Greek civilizations, the birth of Coptic Christianity and the Islamic heritage, with special emphasis on the history of science and on works likely to have been contained in the original Library. Subsequently the Library will expand to cover other disciplines, in keeping with its universal vocation. It will thereby contribute both to the development of the region in which it is situated and to the understanding of that region throughout the world.”
Transposing the role ofthe Ancient Library into modern terms means making use of every present and future technological facility. The running of the library will be fully automated and the computerized catalogue will be accessible on-line, not only in the library but in various university faculties and later in other universities and information centres in the region. It is intended that the library become the centre of a bibliographical data network embracing all local documentar), resources. The new Bibliotheca Alexandrina is to be connected to various hosts currently supplying documentary information contained in scientific data bases. A reader service, combined with a well-run inter-library loan system, will facilitate and accelerate scientific research. Full use of the available media will be made. There will be special sections with modern equipment for projecting films and transparencies, printing and copying, and using microforms, cassettes, video cassettes, video discs, compact discs, etc. An International School of Information Studies (ISIS) is to be located within the library complex, to operate in close association with it. Intended solely for students preparing high-level or specialized postgraduate degrees, the role of ISIS will be to provide high-quality professional staff for the new library and for other institutions in Egypt and the Middle East. ISIS is therefore part of a greater whole, and its activity will also be a reminder of the educational role of the Ancient Library.”
ORGANIZATION AND FUNCTIONS OF THE NEW ALEXANDRINA AS DESCRIBED IN THE ARCHITECTURAL PROGRAMME"
The library will be an autonomous public organization having its own legal identity. Overall authority will be in the hands of a Board of Directors composed of eminent persons. A Director General will be responsible for the implementation of the Board’s policies and decisions.
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The Chief Librarian will be in charge of the internal functioning of‘the library, i.e., management, recruitment, acquisition policy and stall‘ problems. He will be assisted by two Deputy Librarians, each of whom will be responsible for a Division (each Division consisting of thrct departments). The ISIS will be directed by a Dean under the authority of the President of the University ofAlexandria. The Library’s activities are to be divided among six departments, each under the responsibility of a Head of Department. A. Cultural Activities Department The Library is not just a collection of books but is also a centre of cultural stimulation, organizing temporary exhibitions (books, engravings, etc.), and artistic events (lectures, chamber music, etc.). This department is meant to constitute a showroom to encourage visitors to make use of the library. The activities of this department will be spread over a large area known as the “Ptolemy Space”, so named to remind visitors of the glory of ancient Alexandria and the Ptolemies. Multi-purpose rooms, a cafeteria, a bookshop and stationers, exhibition areas and museums (one for calligraphy, the other for the history of science) and an astronomy pavilion, will all serve as attractions for library users. One of the exits from the Ptolemy Space will lead into the Callimachus Hall of the main library, providing controlled access to the library. B. Books and Periodicals Collections Department This large hall is to contain an information area, the lending department and various services of use for research, such as access to the computerized catalogue and to data bases, etc. This hall will also provide access to the five sections where the books, classified by subject as follows, will be available to the readers: -general reference works, dictionaries, encyclopaedias, -geography, archaeology and history; -history of art, science, social sciences, etc.; -languages and literature; -science and technology.
etc.;
One of the library’s objectives is to be universal, i.e., to provide books on all subjects from all countries. Each country is therefore being invited to donate to the library a selection of books (national encyclopaedias, historical and geographical atlases, legal works, statistical, economic and demographic tables, national bibliographies, texts by
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FIG. 2. The Library Halt.
ancient and modern tecture, etc.).
authors,
works on the history
of art and archi-
C. Special Collections Department In addition to books and periodicals, a wide variety ofother information media are now increasingly available on the market. These are to be stored in four sections: the audiovisual and electronic media section, requiring sophisticated consultation equipment; the manuscripts and rare books section, arranged to allow for supervised consultation, as the documents are precious and sometimes unique; geographical and geological maps, the maps section, containing nautical charts, archaeological plans, town and city plans, etc.; the music section, containing books on music, musical scores and sound recordings. D. Administrative Services Department This department will consist of the Director’s offices and all the administrative units (the secretariat, personnel department, telecommunications, finance department, translation section and computer unit). E. Technical Services Department This unit is responsible for the acquisition, cataloguing, indexing and recording of the books in the library. Periodicals are dealt with in a separate srction.
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F. Operational Support Services Department Two types of technical services are provided -library toration -services tenance,
by this department:
services such as binding, labelling, preservation and resof books and manuscripts; specifically to do with the building, such as cleaning, mainsecurity, service areas, etc.
THE
BUILDING
For the design of the new library an International Architectural Competition was organized by UNESCO in co-operation with the International Union of Architects and funded by the United Nations Development Programme, UNDP. The brief was detailed and rigorous.‘” In total 1366 teams took part and 524 entries were received from 77 countries. The results were announced at the end of September 1989 and the first prize of $60000 was won by the Norwegian-led team Snohetta S/A.” The Norwegian design itself was further indication of the international character of the project. In fact, the lo-member team who had worked on the entry included architects, graphic designers, researchers and a landscape artist from Norway as well as Argentina, Austria, Egypt, the Federal Republic ofGermany and the United States of America. According to Carl Warnecke,” the Chairman of the Jury, “There was one design that consistently commanded the attention of the jury. This design received the most votes on the first sccrct ballot of 45 entries that remainrd after a 2-day process of elimination. This design continued to stay at the top of nearly every secret vote taken during the next 2 days when the final designs were subjected to vigorous criticisms and careful appraisals. The winning design is not only an cxccllcnt solution to the programme requirements. It is also symbolic of a new library, which alludes to the past and could become a new form recognized around the world. “The design of the library is in the form of a circle, which becomes its predominant symbol. The circle is not only one of man’s earliest symbols, it also expresses a basic continuity to man’s existence. The sun is a circle. ‘The moon is often an emerging circle. The site of the library looks out on the ancient harbour of Alexandria, which is in the form of a cirrlc. “The circular plan of the library is in the form of a tilted cylinder, whose circular roof slants subtly toward the sea and the harbour, and points toward the sky, the sun and the moon. A large portion of the library itself is below ground. And from the ground level it appears as a strong, cylindrical masonry form emerging from the earth. It is like a new moon that will grow to a full moon. “It cmcrges from this particular site like the rebirth of an earlier form: the ancient Library of Alexandria. In modern times and in recent international competitions,
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FIG. 3. Model of the Bihliothcca Alcxandrina thr design of the Sydney Opera House and the Arch of La Defense in Paris 1rat.c an unforgettable impression on those who have seen these buildings once. “As the pyramids have become the symbol of ancient Egypt, this new form. in its relation to the harbour, will become a symbol of the revival of the old Library ot Alrxandria”.
Further insight into the significance of the building is provided by the architects of Sncahetta themselves and published by D. Raitt.’ ’ “‘l‘he idea behind the tilt ofthe building into the ground is that it should incorporate the concept of the contrast between the darker, negative forces below the surface and the lighter and positive forces reflected from the roof. It also retains the link with Alexandria’s (and Egypt’s) buried past by giving the appearance of rutting through time. ‘I‘his assumes that time is defined by the rotation of thr rarth in interplay with the sun. The turning point datum (where the building prnetrates the earth) at ground level marks the point at which present meets past and future. A curving exterior wall will be made of stone and covered with ancient and modern hieroglyphic carvings which are intended to express human creativity. The huildin&s inclination towards the sea is a representation of the accessibility of Alexandria to thr diffcrcnt cultures and traditions of the Mediterranian communities. “Piercing the great disc are pedestrian bridges which link the library with the ncarhy- universities, conference facilities and promrnadcs. ‘l‘he roof of the library is to be composed ofgeometric sunscreens which prrmit natural light into the building without thr strong direct sun which would damage the documents contained within. ‘I’he entirr building is surrounded by water. In this way the ground corresponds to the sky by reflection and gives the impression of the library suspcndcd in space and time. ‘I‘hr image reflects the fusion of water, sun and earth as essential forcrs of naturr incorporated inconographically within a building.”
TURNING
THE
DREAM
At this point, with an internationally stantial funds were needed to turn
INTO
REALITY
acclaimed design at hand, subthe dream into reality. Egypt
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requested the assistance of UNESCO for raising the funds, remembering the widely successful campaign of Nubia which comprised the dismantling, transfer and saving of dozens of monuments including the temples of Abu Simbei (196468) and those of Philae ( 197 1~~79). During the early stages of the feasibility study, it had been estimated that the funds needed for the building, the books, periodicals and documents, the computer hardware and software would amount to approximately US $100 million. The Preliminary Design Review later carried out by Snohetta S/A under contract for UNESCO revealed that the total construction cost would be US $115 million. The total investment cost, including library-specific equipment and initial book collections would amount to US $152 million. As early as November 1987, the Director-General of UNESCO had launched an international appealI and a special account (code No. 416 EGY 84) had been opened at UNESCO to receive cash donations. The Norwegian Government paid US $500000 into the special account which was utilized to work out, in conjunction with Snohetta S/A, the detailed implications of the design at the architectural, technical, functional and financial levels (Preliminary Design Review). UNDP financed a US $1 200 000 sub-project executed by UNESCO to cover the International Architectural Competition, fund-raising activities, some training and consultation, the publication of documentation, and the preparation of a maquette and a film. The Italian Government has pledged $410 000 which should serve to finance detailed studies on the International School of Information system for data collection and a labStudies (ISIS), a computerized oratory for restoration and conservation of documents.‘” A particularly successful event in the fund-raising campaign was the meeting of the International Commission for the Revival of the Ancient Library of Alexandria, convened by the Director-General of UNESCO and Mrs Susan Mubarak, First Lady of Egypt, which met in Aswan from 11 to 12 February 1990, under the chairmanship of Mrs Mubarak. The 18 members* of the Commission signed the Aswan Declaration which calls upon “all governments, governmental organizations, public and private institutions, funding agencies, librarians and architects, and the peoples of all countries to participate, by means of voluntary contributions of all kinds, in the effort initiated by the Egyptian Government to revive the Library ofAlexandria, to assemble and preserve its collections, to train the necessary staff and to ensure the Library’s functioning”. * Madam S. Agnelli, Senator(Italy); Her Majesty Queen Noor Al-Hussein ofJordan; Mr Yaha Bin Mahfoudh Al-Mantheri, Minister ofEducation and Youth (Sultanate ofoman); His Highness Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al-Nahyan, President ofthe United Arab Emirates; His Royal Highness Prince Turki Ibn Abdal-Aziz Al-Saud, Founder and President of the Arab Student Aid Inter-
BIBLIOTHECA
In addition,
the Declaration
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calls on
“scholars, writers and artists and all those whose task is to inform through the written and spoken work to help generate awareness of the project and (urges) all governments to donate to the Bibliotheca Alexandrina such works in their possession as will help to constitute and enhance the Library’s collections, in recognition of the unique gift made by the Ancient Library of Alexandria to our common heritage”.
‘The response to the appeal was immediate. By the end of the meeting, President Mubarak, who had honoured the Commission with his presence, was promised US $65 000000 which have since then been deposited in a special account in Egypt. From January 1987, when the feasibility study started, to February 1990, when the International Commission met in Aswan, many substantial steps had been successfully taken. We were now even closer to turning the dream into reality.
AN EXAMPLE
OF EFFECTIVE CO-OPERATION
INTERNATIONAL
The idea of reviving the Ancient Library of Alexandria had been around since 1974 when Professor Lotfy Dowidar was President of the University of Alexandria. However the formal starting point of UNESCO’s involvement, and through UNESCO that of the International Community, dates back to May 1986, when the Executive Board decided, at the request of Egypt, that UNESCO should carry out the feasibility study. In January 1987, the first technical mission”j was dispatched to Egypt for this purpose, followed by a series of specific studies on manpower and collection development,‘g which culminated needs,17 automation” in the preparation of the Architectural Programme. The Director General of UNESCO, Mr Federico Mayor, has spared no effort in catalysing international interest in the new Bibliotheca Alexandrina. Since 1988, UNDP joined with UNESCO and supported the architectural competition and several related activities. For its part Egypt
national (ASAI) (Saudi Arabia); Dr
Daniel Boorstin, Historian, Librarian of Congress Emeritus (United States); Lord Briggs, Provost, Worcester College, Oxford (United Kingdom); Mrs Gro Harlem Brundtland, Member of Parliament (Norway); Her Highness Princess Caroline of Monaco; Mr Hans-Peter Geh, President of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) (Federal Republic of Germany); Mr Abdul-Aziz Hussain, Adviser to his Highness the Amir of Kuwait; Professor Dmitri Sergeevich Likhachev, Academician (USSR); Madam Melina Mercouri, Member of Parliament (Greece); Mr Francois Mitterrand, President of the Republic of France; Mrs Susan Mubarak, (Egypt); Her Majesty-Queen Sofia of Spain; Mr Ahmed Fathi Sorour, Minister of Education (Egypt); Mr Jest Israel Vargas, Former Chairman of the Executive Board of UNESCO (Brazil).
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provided four hectares of land and set up the National High Commission of the Library of Alexandria and later established, by prcsidential decree, the G.O.A.L. (General Organization of the Alexandria Library)” responsible for achieving the objectives set out in the decree. President M. Hosni Mubarak himself and Mrs S. Mubarak took personal interest in the project-a fact which has contributed substantially to the success of the operation and the rapid progress achieved so far. In one of his several speeches and statements made on the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, President M. Hosni Mubarak said” that “Egypt is embarking on this great project and giving it high priority, in spite of the enormous burden of development it has to bear and in spite of the challenges of reconstruction and comprehensive economic reform, bccausc it cannot shirk the leading cultural role imposed on it by its history and geographical position and by the expectations of the world. Egypt has launched the project for the revival of the ancient Library of Alexandria because of its conviction that human beings do not live on bread alone but that culture, which is the food of thr mind and soul, is as important as bread and other material needs”. In addressing the International Commission, Mrs S. Mubarak” recalled the interest of Egypt, since ancient times, in written records and libraries: “Throughout our history, civilization and culture, books have been the most sublime symbol of knowledge. Suffice it to say that the ancient Egyptians inscribed their cherished values on rocks. They also recorded their valuable knowledge on papyrus in writing. Contemporary Egyptians do believe that the first revelation of God to His Prophet Mohammed was ‘Read: In the name of thy Lord Who createth’. In the same Surah, the pen was mentioned as the greatest ofGod’s blessings to Mankind. From old to modern times on the land of Egypt, various eras followed successively one after the other, throughout which the book has always been of great value to Egypt and her people. This has been the case for our country during the Pharaonic, Roman, Christian and, lately, Islamic eras. Egypt strongly believes in books and pays great attention to libraries. It holds the written word in the same high esteem as the most precious values and dearest trcasurcs”.
The hundreds of articles published all over the world on the Bibliotheca Alexandrina underline the wide enthusiasm for this project. For many reasons the revival of the Alexandrina seems to have caught the general imagination. In parallel with the interest expressed by governments, scholars, architects and journalists we should cite that of the library community. Quoting Mr H. P. Geh:‘” “As President of the International Federation of Library Association and Institution with members in 1‘24 countries, I am very pleased to have the opportunity of expressing our wholehearted support for the revival of the Ancient Library of Alexandria, which was the first in the history of mankind to collect knowledge of the known world and classify it systematically. . We librarians will do our best to promote this challenging project and WC will in this way, contribute to trust, co-operation and better international understanding. May the light of this new
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Bibliotheca Alexandrina, like that of the old Pharaos, one day illuminate and point the way to those in search of knowledge and perception”.
STRATEGY
FOR
THE
267 the world
FUTURE
In planning the future strategy for the implementation of the project, the following aspects have been given special consideration: training, collection-developments, building-construction, fund raising and organizational arrangements for project implementation. These five aspects are progressing in paralle1.24 The organizational framework for the implementation of the project, outlined in an agreement signed between Egypt and UNESCO, is composed of three organs: (i) an International commission to act as an Honorary Committee giving moral support to the project and to assist in the mobilization of the necessary funds; (ii) an International Executive Committee responsible for the follow-up and supervision of the implementation of the project, including the approval of the detailed financial reports and (iii) an Executive Secretariat, composed of a Project Manager appointed by UNESCO and a Deputy Project Manager appointed by Egypt with supporting staff. The agreement also covers matters relating to budget control and settlement of disputes. We have come a long way, but many problems will have to be solved and many obstacles surmounted before the Bibliotheca Alexandrina opens its doors. UNESCO will continue to co-operate for the realization of this goal because, as Mr F. Mayor,25 Director-General of UNESCO said, “the project for the Revival of the Ancient Library of Alexandria goes to the very heart of UNESCO’s mission. Our task is, in essence, to promote the sharing of knowledge knowledge for its own sake, knowledge for development and knowledge for mutual understanding. Sharing implies diversity and thus, by extension, the promotion of those cultural identities that constitute the harmonic richness of the concert of nations. By the same token, it presupposes the protection of the cultural heritage in which our national and supranational identities are rooted. By cooperating with Egypt in the task of integrating its rich past in a network of information with global ramifications, UNESCO is acting in full accord with its own purposes and is preparing the way for the future constitution of a truly global system of information networks. . . In reviving this splendid and creative legacy of the past, we are forging a brighter common future.”
REFERENCES
10 11
12
13 14
15
16 17 18 19 20 21
22
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Jackson, S. (1980) Alcxandrian Library. 111ALA Encyclobedia oJ’I,ibrary and Information Seruice. Chicago: ALA, pp. 32-~33. Parsons, E. (1952) The Alexandrian Library: Glory of the Hellenic World. Amsterdam. Elsevier Press. Aman, M. (1990) The New Bibliolheca Alexandrina: A Link in the Historical Chain oJ Cultural Continuity. University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, pp. 334. El Abbadi, M. (1990) The Life and Fate of th e A ncient Library of Alexandria. UNESCO. Paris. UNESCO ( 1990) Bibliotheca Alexandrina The Revival of an Idea. Paris. p. 4. Ibid, p. 5. International Commission for the Revival of the Ancient Library of Alexandria. (1990) The Aswan Declaration. UNESCO. Paris. 1 I-12 February. UNESCO, p. 5. UNESCO (1988) Bibliotheca Alexandrina. Architectural Brief and Competition Rules by J. P. Clavell and J. Meissner with the assistance of F. Lombard. UNESCO. Paris. pp. 59-68. Ibid, pp. 47791. Lombard, F. (1990) Deroulement du Contours international d’architecture. In Bibliotheca Alexandrina. International Architectural Competition by Franc0 Zagari. UNESCO/UNDP/Edizioni Carte Segrcte. pp. 27732. Warnecke, J. C. (1990) The International Architectural Competition of the Ancient Library of Alexandria. In Bibliotheca Alexandrina. International ArchiUNESCO/UNDP/Edizioni Carte tectural Competition by Franc0 Zagari. Segrete. pp. 33-34. Raitt, D. (1990) The Electronic Library Manager’s Guide to the New Library of Alexandria. The Electronic Library, 8 (l), pp. 226. UNESCO (1987) Appeal by Mr Amadou Mahtar M’Bow, Director-General of UNESCO, in support of the Revival of the Library of Alexandria. Paris. 29 October. Tocatlian J. (1990) A project ofinternational dimension. In Bibliotheca Alexandrina. International Architectural Competition by Franc0 Zagari. UNESCO/UNDP/ Edizioni Carte Segrete. pp. 25526. Clavel, J. P. and Tocatlian, J. (1987) Feasibility Study for the Revival of the Ancient Library of Alexandria~--First Phase. UNESCO. Aman, M. (1987) Revival of the Ancient Library of Alexandria ~A Study of Manpower Needs and Development and Establishment ofa School of Information Studies. UNESCO. Huck Tee, Lim. (1987) Revival of the Ancient Library of Alexandria- A Strategic Plan for the Automation of the Library of Alexandria. UNESCO. Collection Development Policy and Procedures Aman, M. (1990) Bibliotheca Alexandrina and Selected Collection. UNESCO. “The General Organization of the Alexandria Library, GOAL”, Republican Decree No. 523/1989. pp. 144. Mubarak, M. H. (1990) In Bibliotheca Alexandrina. International Architectural Competition by Franc0 Zagari. UNESCO/UNDP/Edizioni Carte Segrete. pp. 13-14. Mubarak, S. (1990) In International Commission for the Revival of the Ancient Library of Alexandria~ Commemoration of the Inaugural Session. UNESCO/Edizioni Carte Segrete. pp. 18-19. Geh, H. P. Ibid, p. 56.
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Hasan S. (1990) Reviving Past Glory: A Work in Progress. In Bibliotheca AlexanArchitectural Competition by Franc0 Zagari. UNESC0/ UNDP/Edizioni Carte Segrete. pp. 55-56. Mayor, F. In International Commission for the Reuival of the Ancient Library of Alexandria- Commemoration of the Inaugural Skwion. UNESCO/Edizioni Carte Srgrrtr. pp. 20-23.
drina, International 25
ALEXANDRINA
Bibliotheca Alexandrina-Reviving Legacy of the Past for a Brighter Common Future .JACQUES
a
TOCATLIAN*
After briefly recalling the creation, organization, role and destruction of the Ancient Library of Alexandria, this article describes the scope and objectives of the new Bibliotheca Alexandrina and its functions and organization in six departments. It explains the symbolic and aesthetic values of the winning design for the new library, the budget required for its creation, and the international support so far obtained. It summarizes the steps undertaken by Egypt, UNESCO and UNDP and briefly explains the future strategy for proceeding with the implementation of the project. It concludes by highlighting the meaning of the new Bibliotheca Alexandrina for Egypt, UNESCO and the International Community.
THE
ANCIENT
LIBRARY-THE
GLORIOUS
CENTURIES
Demetrios of Phaleron, the first director of the Library appointed by Ptolemy I in the early third century B.C., organized the library applying Aristotelian ideas, principles and methods of scientific, historical and literacy research. The Library which was part of the museon, or temple of muses, was divided into departments, each headed by a dean. It contained 10 large research halls, each devoted to a separate subject, botanical gardens, a zoo, dissecting rooms and an observatory. The whole environment was organized to facilitate discussions, research and reflection. Served by an aggressive acquisition policy, the great library was also used as a copying shop, a translation centre and a publication office. The cataloguing achievements of Callimachus, in addition to the descriptive and evaluative features added to the documents, further enhanced the prestige of the library as a unique information and learn-
* UNESCO Special Advisor for the project Bibliotheca Office of Information 0020-7837/91/030255+
Programmes 15,03.00/O
Alexandrina.
E’ormerly
Director
of the
and Services. 0
1991 Academic
Press Limited
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ing centre. The size of the collection must have been in the vicinity of 500 000 papyrus scrolls, although various figures are given by different authors. (The normal papyrus roll was about 20 feet long unrolled and 10 to 12 inches high). ’ An abundance of articles, research papers and books refer to the Library of Alexandria becoming the centre of Hellenic learning since scholars came to exchange information, to study and explore astronomy, physics, mathematics, geometry, anatomy, biology, geography, literature, philosophy and engineering. Among the many famous scholars and scientists whose names are attached to the Library of Alexandria we could cite Euclid the mathematician, Appolonious the geometrician, Hypatia the astronomer and mathematician, Eratosthenes the astronomer and philosopher, Hipparchus who mapped the constellations, and the astronomer and geographer Cladius Ptolemy who developed the techniques of map drawing. In the medical area Hippocrates proclaimed the natural sequence of disease, Herophilus established the brain as the seat of intelligence and Galen compiled an authoritative treaty which was referred to until the early seventeenth century. In engineering, Hero of Alexandria and Archimedes are mechanical geniuses who have produced numerous inventions.233 These achievements could only be accomplished with the help of the exceptional library facilities available at Alexandria. Before Alexandria, knowledge was regional, but with the creation of the Library of Alexandria, as the first universal library, knowledge too became universal.
FIRE
AND
DESTRUCTION
The reason for the disappearance of the ancient library remains conjectural. Scholars generally believe that at least a portion of the “Mother” library was destroyed by fire at the time of Julius Caesar’s siege of Alexandria in 48 B.C. Some think that the whole library was destroyed, whereas others refer to 40000 books which had been removed from the library and stored in a warehouse for shipment to Rome being subsequently destroyed when blazing ships drifted into piers and the fire spread to the warehouse district. A paradoxical fact is that Alexandria built of stone, marble and masonry, was known as the most fire-proof city in the ancient world. In any case, a few years later, Anthony had the whole library of Pergamum containing some 200 000 scrolls transferred to Alexandria by way of compensation. The “Daughter” library, located in the temple
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of Serapis (or Serapeum) continued to satisfy the needs of scholars for four more centuries until it seems to have been destroyed together with the temple in 391 A.D., under Theophilus I, Patriarch and ruler of Alexandria. A final reference was made in the early thirteenth century to the destruction of the library by Amr Ibn al As when he conquered Alexandria in 642 A.D. It is probably a medieval fabrication propagated by supporters of the new regime of Saladin to justify his sale of the libraries of the Fatimids.4 It is generally believed that by the time Alexandria had finished witnessing the wars, revolutions, conquests and riots which spread over time, there was not a great deal left for the Islamic conquerors of the mid-seventh century to destroy. However, since some of the Greek works have come down to us in Arabic translation, the manuscripts were still in existence at the time the Arabs made Alexandria a military citadel. An additional fact should be kept in mind. With the passage of time and progress, the library, or whatever remained ofit, had most probably become obsolete. The papyrus scroll, prone to rapid deterioration, had been superseded by the more easily handled codex, a set of rectangular manuscript sheets bound between wooden or leather covers, which appeared towards the end of the third century A.D.”
THE
REVIVAL
OF
AN
IDEA
No matter how the Ancient Library disappeared, the fact remains that the Egyptian Government with the assistance of the International Community wants to revive it. This plan must be properly understood. It is not a question of constructing a building resembling the ancient library, nor of seeking to reconstitute the ancient collections so as to create a kind of museum in replica. The aim is to create a new institution which will play an influential role throughout the region, owing to the quality of its services and the wealth of its collections; in other words, to transpose the ancient idea into modern terms. It is the revival of a movement, a tradition, an idea. . . The new institution will be a public library for research, open to all who wish to make use of its exceptional facilities. It will also be international in scope, welcoming researchers not only from Egypt but also from the other Mediterranean and Middle Eastern countries and from all over the world.6 As stated in the Aswan Declaration7 “On the site of the palace of the Ptolemies, the new Alexandrina will give modern expression to an ancient endeavour. A splendid contemporary design for the Library has already been adopted through an international architectural competition. Detailed plans exist for a facility embodying the latest computer technology and
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serving as a public research library. Conceived in the framework of the World Decade for Cultural Development, this institution will be open to researchers not only from the Mediterranean countries but from all over the world. Its specialized collections will relate to the Egyptian, other Middle-Eastern and Greek civilizations, the birth of Coptic Christianity and the Islamic heritage, with special emphasis on the history of science and on works likely to have been contained in the original Library. Subsequently the Library will expand to cover other disciplines, in keeping with its universal vocation. It will thereby contribute both to the development of the region in which it is situated and to the understanding of that region throughout the world.”
Transposing the role ofthe Ancient Library into modern terms means making use of every present and future technological facility. The running of the library will be fully automated and the computerized catalogue will be accessible on-line, not only in the library but in various university faculties and later in other universities and information centres in the region. It is intended that the library become the centre of a bibliographical data network embracing all local documentar), resources. The new Bibliotheca Alexandrina is to be connected to various hosts currently supplying documentary information contained in scientific data bases. A reader service, combined with a well-run inter-library loan system, will facilitate and accelerate scientific research. Full use of the available media will be made. There will be special sections with modern equipment for projecting films and transparencies, printing and copying, and using microforms, cassettes, video cassettes, video discs, compact discs, etc. An International School of Information Studies (ISIS) is to be located within the library complex, to operate in close association with it. Intended solely for students preparing high-level or specialized postgraduate degrees, the role of ISIS will be to provide high-quality professional staff for the new library and for other institutions in Egypt and the Middle East. ISIS is therefore part of a greater whole, and its activity will also be a reminder of the educational role of the Ancient Library.”
ORGANIZATION AND FUNCTIONS OF THE NEW ALEXANDRINA AS DESCRIBED IN THE ARCHITECTURAL PROGRAMME"
The library will be an autonomous public organization having its own legal identity. Overall authority will be in the hands of a Board of Directors composed of eminent persons. A Director General will be responsible for the implementation of the Board’s policies and decisions.
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The Chief Librarian will be in charge of the internal functioning of‘the library, i.e., management, recruitment, acquisition policy and stall‘ problems. He will be assisted by two Deputy Librarians, each of whom will be responsible for a Division (each Division consisting of thrct departments). The ISIS will be directed by a Dean under the authority of the President of the University ofAlexandria. The Library’s activities are to be divided among six departments, each under the responsibility of a Head of Department. A. Cultural Activities Department The Library is not just a collection of books but is also a centre of cultural stimulation, organizing temporary exhibitions (books, engravings, etc.), and artistic events (lectures, chamber music, etc.). This department is meant to constitute a showroom to encourage visitors to make use of the library. The activities of this department will be spread over a large area known as the “Ptolemy Space”, so named to remind visitors of the glory of ancient Alexandria and the Ptolemies. Multi-purpose rooms, a cafeteria, a bookshop and stationers, exhibition areas and museums (one for calligraphy, the other for the history of science) and an astronomy pavilion, will all serve as attractions for library users. One of the exits from the Ptolemy Space will lead into the Callimachus Hall of the main library, providing controlled access to the library. B. Books and Periodicals Collections Department This large hall is to contain an information area, the lending department and various services of use for research, such as access to the computerized catalogue and to data bases, etc. This hall will also provide access to the five sections where the books, classified by subject as follows, will be available to the readers: -general reference works, dictionaries, encyclopaedias, -geography, archaeology and history; -history of art, science, social sciences, etc.; -languages and literature; -science and technology.
etc.;
One of the library’s objectives is to be universal, i.e., to provide books on all subjects from all countries. Each country is therefore being invited to donate to the library a selection of books (national encyclopaedias, historical and geographical atlases, legal works, statistical, economic and demographic tables, national bibliographies, texts by
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FIG. 2. The Library Halt.
ancient and modern tecture, etc.).
authors,
works on the history
of art and archi-
C. Special Collections Department In addition to books and periodicals, a wide variety ofother information media are now increasingly available on the market. These are to be stored in four sections: the audiovisual and electronic media section, requiring sophisticated consultation equipment; the manuscripts and rare books section, arranged to allow for supervised consultation, as the documents are precious and sometimes unique; geographical and geological maps, the maps section, containing nautical charts, archaeological plans, town and city plans, etc.; the music section, containing books on music, musical scores and sound recordings. D. Administrative Services Department This department will consist of the Director’s offices and all the administrative units (the secretariat, personnel department, telecommunications, finance department, translation section and computer unit). E. Technical Services Department This unit is responsible for the acquisition, cataloguing, indexing and recording of the books in the library. Periodicals are dealt with in a separate srction.
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F. Operational Support Services Department Two types of technical services are provided -library toration -services tenance,
by this department:
services such as binding, labelling, preservation and resof books and manuscripts; specifically to do with the building, such as cleaning, mainsecurity, service areas, etc.
THE
BUILDING
For the design of the new library an International Architectural Competition was organized by UNESCO in co-operation with the International Union of Architects and funded by the United Nations Development Programme, UNDP. The brief was detailed and rigorous.‘” In total 1366 teams took part and 524 entries were received from 77 countries. The results were announced at the end of September 1989 and the first prize of $60000 was won by the Norwegian-led team Snohetta S/A.” The Norwegian design itself was further indication of the international character of the project. In fact, the lo-member team who had worked on the entry included architects, graphic designers, researchers and a landscape artist from Norway as well as Argentina, Austria, Egypt, the Federal Republic ofGermany and the United States of America. According to Carl Warnecke,” the Chairman of the Jury, “There was one design that consistently commanded the attention of the jury. This design received the most votes on the first sccrct ballot of 45 entries that remainrd after a 2-day process of elimination. This design continued to stay at the top of nearly every secret vote taken during the next 2 days when the final designs were subjected to vigorous criticisms and careful appraisals. The winning design is not only an cxccllcnt solution to the programme requirements. It is also symbolic of a new library, which alludes to the past and could become a new form recognized around the world. “The design of the library is in the form of a circle, which becomes its predominant symbol. The circle is not only one of man’s earliest symbols, it also expresses a basic continuity to man’s existence. The sun is a circle. ‘The moon is often an emerging circle. The site of the library looks out on the ancient harbour of Alexandria, which is in the form of a cirrlc. “The circular plan of the library is in the form of a tilted cylinder, whose circular roof slants subtly toward the sea and the harbour, and points toward the sky, the sun and the moon. A large portion of the library itself is below ground. And from the ground level it appears as a strong, cylindrical masonry form emerging from the earth. It is like a new moon that will grow to a full moon. “It cmcrges from this particular site like the rebirth of an earlier form: the ancient Library of Alexandria. In modern times and in recent international competitions,
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FIG. 3. Model of the Bihliothcca Alcxandrina thr design of the Sydney Opera House and the Arch of La Defense in Paris 1rat.c an unforgettable impression on those who have seen these buildings once. “As the pyramids have become the symbol of ancient Egypt, this new form. in its relation to the harbour, will become a symbol of the revival of the old Library ot Alrxandria”.
Further insight into the significance of the building is provided by the architects of Sncahetta themselves and published by D. Raitt.’ ’ “‘l‘he idea behind the tilt ofthe building into the ground is that it should incorporate the concept of the contrast between the darker, negative forces below the surface and the lighter and positive forces reflected from the roof. It also retains the link with Alexandria’s (and Egypt’s) buried past by giving the appearance of rutting through time. ‘I‘his assumes that time is defined by the rotation of thr rarth in interplay with the sun. The turning point datum (where the building prnetrates the earth) at ground level marks the point at which present meets past and future. A curving exterior wall will be made of stone and covered with ancient and modern hieroglyphic carvings which are intended to express human creativity. The huildin&s inclination towards the sea is a representation of the accessibility of Alexandria to thr diffcrcnt cultures and traditions of the Mediterranian communities. “Piercing the great disc are pedestrian bridges which link the library with the ncarhy- universities, conference facilities and promrnadcs. ‘l‘he roof of the library is to be composed ofgeometric sunscreens which prrmit natural light into the building without thr strong direct sun which would damage the documents contained within. ‘I’he entirr building is surrounded by water. In this way the ground corresponds to the sky by reflection and gives the impression of the library suspcndcd in space and time. ‘I‘hr image reflects the fusion of water, sun and earth as essential forcrs of naturr incorporated inconographically within a building.”
TURNING
THE
DREAM
At this point, with an internationally stantial funds were needed to turn
INTO
REALITY
acclaimed design at hand, subthe dream into reality. Egypt
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requested the assistance of UNESCO for raising the funds, remembering the widely successful campaign of Nubia which comprised the dismantling, transfer and saving of dozens of monuments including the temples of Abu Simbei (196468) and those of Philae ( 197 1~~79). During the early stages of the feasibility study, it had been estimated that the funds needed for the building, the books, periodicals and documents, the computer hardware and software would amount to approximately US $100 million. The Preliminary Design Review later carried out by Snohetta S/A under contract for UNESCO revealed that the total construction cost would be US $115 million. The total investment cost, including library-specific equipment and initial book collections would amount to US $152 million. As early as November 1987, the Director-General of UNESCO had launched an international appealI and a special account (code No. 416 EGY 84) had been opened at UNESCO to receive cash donations. The Norwegian Government paid US $500000 into the special account which was utilized to work out, in conjunction with Snohetta S/A, the detailed implications of the design at the architectural, technical, functional and financial levels (Preliminary Design Review). UNDP financed a US $1 200 000 sub-project executed by UNESCO to cover the International Architectural Competition, fund-raising activities, some training and consultation, the publication of documentation, and the preparation of a maquette and a film. The Italian Government has pledged $410 000 which should serve to finance detailed studies on the International School of Information system for data collection and a labStudies (ISIS), a computerized oratory for restoration and conservation of documents.‘” A particularly successful event in the fund-raising campaign was the meeting of the International Commission for the Revival of the Ancient Library of Alexandria, convened by the Director-General of UNESCO and Mrs Susan Mubarak, First Lady of Egypt, which met in Aswan from 11 to 12 February 1990, under the chairmanship of Mrs Mubarak. The 18 members* of the Commission signed the Aswan Declaration which calls upon “all governments, governmental organizations, public and private institutions, funding agencies, librarians and architects, and the peoples of all countries to participate, by means of voluntary contributions of all kinds, in the effort initiated by the Egyptian Government to revive the Library ofAlexandria, to assemble and preserve its collections, to train the necessary staff and to ensure the Library’s functioning”. * Madam S. Agnelli, Senator(Italy); Her Majesty Queen Noor Al-Hussein ofJordan; Mr Yaha Bin Mahfoudh Al-Mantheri, Minister ofEducation and Youth (Sultanate ofoman); His Highness Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al-Nahyan, President ofthe United Arab Emirates; His Royal Highness Prince Turki Ibn Abdal-Aziz Al-Saud, Founder and President of the Arab Student Aid Inter-
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In addition,
the Declaration
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calls on
“scholars, writers and artists and all those whose task is to inform through the written and spoken work to help generate awareness of the project and (urges) all governments to donate to the Bibliotheca Alexandrina such works in their possession as will help to constitute and enhance the Library’s collections, in recognition of the unique gift made by the Ancient Library of Alexandria to our common heritage”.
‘The response to the appeal was immediate. By the end of the meeting, President Mubarak, who had honoured the Commission with his presence, was promised US $65 000000 which have since then been deposited in a special account in Egypt. From January 1987, when the feasibility study started, to February 1990, when the International Commission met in Aswan, many substantial steps had been successfully taken. We were now even closer to turning the dream into reality.
AN EXAMPLE
OF EFFECTIVE CO-OPERATION
INTERNATIONAL
The idea of reviving the Ancient Library of Alexandria had been around since 1974 when Professor Lotfy Dowidar was President of the University of Alexandria. However the formal starting point of UNESCO’s involvement, and through UNESCO that of the International Community, dates back to May 1986, when the Executive Board decided, at the request of Egypt, that UNESCO should carry out the feasibility study. In January 1987, the first technical mission”j was dispatched to Egypt for this purpose, followed by a series of specific studies on manpower and collection development,‘g which culminated needs,17 automation” in the preparation of the Architectural Programme. The Director General of UNESCO, Mr Federico Mayor, has spared no effort in catalysing international interest in the new Bibliotheca Alexandrina. Since 1988, UNDP joined with UNESCO and supported the architectural competition and several related activities. For its part Egypt
national (ASAI) (Saudi Arabia); Dr
Daniel Boorstin, Historian, Librarian of Congress Emeritus (United States); Lord Briggs, Provost, Worcester College, Oxford (United Kingdom); Mrs Gro Harlem Brundtland, Member of Parliament (Norway); Her Highness Princess Caroline of Monaco; Mr Hans-Peter Geh, President of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) (Federal Republic of Germany); Mr Abdul-Aziz Hussain, Adviser to his Highness the Amir of Kuwait; Professor Dmitri Sergeevich Likhachev, Academician (USSR); Madam Melina Mercouri, Member of Parliament (Greece); Mr Francois Mitterrand, President of the Republic of France; Mrs Susan Mubarak, (Egypt); Her Majesty-Queen Sofia of Spain; Mr Ahmed Fathi Sorour, Minister of Education (Egypt); Mr Jest Israel Vargas, Former Chairman of the Executive Board of UNESCO (Brazil).
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provided four hectares of land and set up the National High Commission of the Library of Alexandria and later established, by prcsidential decree, the G.O.A.L. (General Organization of the Alexandria Library)” responsible for achieving the objectives set out in the decree. President M. Hosni Mubarak himself and Mrs S. Mubarak took personal interest in the project-a fact which has contributed substantially to the success of the operation and the rapid progress achieved so far. In one of his several speeches and statements made on the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, President M. Hosni Mubarak said” that “Egypt is embarking on this great project and giving it high priority, in spite of the enormous burden of development it has to bear and in spite of the challenges of reconstruction and comprehensive economic reform, bccausc it cannot shirk the leading cultural role imposed on it by its history and geographical position and by the expectations of the world. Egypt has launched the project for the revival of the ancient Library of Alexandria because of its conviction that human beings do not live on bread alone but that culture, which is the food of thr mind and soul, is as important as bread and other material needs”. In addressing the International Commission, Mrs S. Mubarak” recalled the interest of Egypt, since ancient times, in written records and libraries: “Throughout our history, civilization and culture, books have been the most sublime symbol of knowledge. Suffice it to say that the ancient Egyptians inscribed their cherished values on rocks. They also recorded their valuable knowledge on papyrus in writing. Contemporary Egyptians do believe that the first revelation of God to His Prophet Mohammed was ‘Read: In the name of thy Lord Who createth’. In the same Surah, the pen was mentioned as the greatest ofGod’s blessings to Mankind. From old to modern times on the land of Egypt, various eras followed successively one after the other, throughout which the book has always been of great value to Egypt and her people. This has been the case for our country during the Pharaonic, Roman, Christian and, lately, Islamic eras. Egypt strongly believes in books and pays great attention to libraries. It holds the written word in the same high esteem as the most precious values and dearest trcasurcs”.
The hundreds of articles published all over the world on the Bibliotheca Alexandrina underline the wide enthusiasm for this project. For many reasons the revival of the Alexandrina seems to have caught the general imagination. In parallel with the interest expressed by governments, scholars, architects and journalists we should cite that of the library community. Quoting Mr H. P. Geh:‘” “As President of the International Federation of Library Association and Institution with members in 1‘24 countries, I am very pleased to have the opportunity of expressing our wholehearted support for the revival of the Ancient Library of Alexandria, which was the first in the history of mankind to collect knowledge of the known world and classify it systematically. . We librarians will do our best to promote this challenging project and WC will in this way, contribute to trust, co-operation and better international understanding. May the light of this new
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Bibliotheca Alexandrina, like that of the old Pharaos, one day illuminate and point the way to those in search of knowledge and perception”.
STRATEGY
FOR
THE
267 the world
FUTURE
In planning the future strategy for the implementation of the project, the following aspects have been given special consideration: training, collection-developments, building-construction, fund raising and organizational arrangements for project implementation. These five aspects are progressing in paralle1.24 The organizational framework for the implementation of the project, outlined in an agreement signed between Egypt and UNESCO, is composed of three organs: (i) an International commission to act as an Honorary Committee giving moral support to the project and to assist in the mobilization of the necessary funds; (ii) an International Executive Committee responsible for the follow-up and supervision of the implementation of the project, including the approval of the detailed financial reports and (iii) an Executive Secretariat, composed of a Project Manager appointed by UNESCO and a Deputy Project Manager appointed by Egypt with supporting staff. The agreement also covers matters relating to budget control and settlement of disputes. We have come a long way, but many problems will have to be solved and many obstacles surmounted before the Bibliotheca Alexandrina opens its doors. UNESCO will continue to co-operate for the realization of this goal because, as Mr F. Mayor,25 Director-General of UNESCO said, “the project for the Revival of the Ancient Library of Alexandria goes to the very heart of UNESCO’s mission. Our task is, in essence, to promote the sharing of knowledge knowledge for its own sake, knowledge for development and knowledge for mutual understanding. Sharing implies diversity and thus, by extension, the promotion of those cultural identities that constitute the harmonic richness of the concert of nations. By the same token, it presupposes the protection of the cultural heritage in which our national and supranational identities are rooted. By cooperating with Egypt in the task of integrating its rich past in a network of information with global ramifications, UNESCO is acting in full accord with its own purposes and is preparing the way for the future constitution of a truly global system of information networks. . . In reviving this splendid and creative legacy of the past, we are forging a brighter common future.”
REFERENCES
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12
13 14
15
16 17 18 19 20 21
22
31 __
Jackson, S. (1980) Alcxandrian Library. 111ALA Encyclobedia oJ’I,ibrary and Information Seruice. Chicago: ALA, pp. 32-~33. Parsons, E. (1952) The Alexandrian Library: Glory of the Hellenic World. Amsterdam. Elsevier Press. Aman, M. (1990) The New Bibliolheca Alexandrina: A Link in the Historical Chain oJ Cultural Continuity. University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, pp. 334. El Abbadi, M. (1990) The Life and Fate of th e A ncient Library of Alexandria. UNESCO. Paris. UNESCO ( 1990) Bibliotheca Alexandrina The Revival of an Idea. Paris. p. 4. Ibid, p. 5. International Commission for the Revival of the Ancient Library of Alexandria. (1990) The Aswan Declaration. UNESCO. Paris. 1 I-12 February. UNESCO, p. 5. UNESCO (1988) Bibliotheca Alexandrina. Architectural Brief and Competition Rules by J. P. Clavell and J. Meissner with the assistance of F. Lombard. UNESCO. Paris. pp. 59-68. Ibid, pp. 47791. Lombard, F. (1990) Deroulement du Contours international d’architecture. In Bibliotheca Alexandrina. International Architectural Competition by Franc0 Zagari. UNESCO/UNDP/Edizioni Carte Segrcte. pp. 27732. Warnecke, J. C. (1990) The International Architectural Competition of the Ancient Library of Alexandria. In Bibliotheca Alexandrina. International ArchiUNESCO/UNDP/Edizioni Carte tectural Competition by Franc0 Zagari. Segrete. pp. 33-34. Raitt, D. (1990) The Electronic Library Manager’s Guide to the New Library of Alexandria. The Electronic Library, 8 (l), pp. 226. UNESCO (1987) Appeal by Mr Amadou Mahtar M’Bow, Director-General of UNESCO, in support of the Revival of the Library of Alexandria. Paris. 29 October. Tocatlian J. (1990) A project ofinternational dimension. In Bibliotheca Alexandrina. International Architectural Competition by Franc0 Zagari. UNESCO/UNDP/ Edizioni Carte Segrete. pp. 25526. Clavel, J. P. and Tocatlian, J. (1987) Feasibility Study for the Revival of the Ancient Library of Alexandria~--First Phase. UNESCO. Aman, M. (1987) Revival of the Ancient Library of Alexandria ~A Study of Manpower Needs and Development and Establishment ofa School of Information Studies. UNESCO. Huck Tee, Lim. (1987) Revival of the Ancient Library of Alexandria- A Strategic Plan for the Automation of the Library of Alexandria. UNESCO. Collection Development Policy and Procedures Aman, M. (1990) Bibliotheca Alexandrina and Selected Collection. UNESCO. “The General Organization of the Alexandria Library, GOAL”, Republican Decree No. 523/1989. pp. 144. Mubarak, M. H. (1990) In Bibliotheca Alexandrina. International Architectural Competition by Franc0 Zagari. UNESCO/UNDP/Edizioni Carte Segrete. pp. 13-14. Mubarak, S. (1990) In International Commission for the Revival of the Ancient Library of Alexandria~ Commemoration of the Inaugural Session. UNESCO/Edizioni Carte Segrete. pp. 18-19. Geh, H. P. Ibid, p. 56.
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Hasan S. (1990) Reviving Past Glory: A Work in Progress. In Bibliotheca AlexanArchitectural Competition by Franc0 Zagari. UNESC0/ UNDP/Edizioni Carte Segrete. pp. 55-56. Mayor, F. In International Commission for the Reuival of the Ancient Library of Alexandria- Commemoration of the Inaugural Skwion. UNESCO/Edizioni Carte Srgrrtr. pp. 20-23.
drina, International 25
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