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Newsletter of the International Friends of the Library of Alexandria.
http://www.bibalex.org/English/friends/CurrentNewsletter.htm
The Ancient Library of Alexandria
The ancient Library of Alexandria, perhaps the most famous library in history, was the center of learning and scientific research in the ancient world. The Library wasn’t merely a repository for books, although its collection was unrivaled. It was the world’s cultural and intellectual capital, teeming with influential scholars for more than seven centuries. Despite its demise and disappearance 1600 years ago, scholars and scientists remain preoccupied with its legacy.
Within
Alexandria’s Library worked a community of philosophers and scientists
who established and mined the sciences of physics, linguistics, medicine,
astronomy, geography, mathematics, biology and geology. Genius flourished
in Alexandria, where scholars undertook the first serious trials to understand
the world.
No complete inventory or record exists documenting the Library’s collection,
but it is estimated that it contained at least 700,000 papyrus and vellum
scrolls at its zenith. The Library encouraged the translation and interpretation
movement, and it was for the Library that the Old Testament was first translated
from Hebrew into Greek.
The fate of the Library is the subject of much historical debate. There is
a growing consensus among historians that the Library likely suffered from
a series of catastrophic events, but that the destruction of Alexandria's
pagan temples in the late fourth century was probably the most severe and
final one. Civil wars, decreasing investments in maintenance and acquisition
of new scrolls and generally declining interest in non-religious pursuits
also contributed to the Library’s demise.
The
Modern Library of Alexandria
A movement to revive the legacy of the ancient Library of Alexandria
was underway for many years, culminating in the inauguration of the Bibliotheca
Alexandrina (BA) in October 2002. The BA, which is located on a magnificent
site in Alexandria’s Eastern Harbor very close to the former site of
the Ancient Library, is an international center of intellectual excellence
in its own right, as well as a center of learning, dialogue, and tolerance.
In just two years, the Library has become a meeting place for great minds
from all over the world, a repository for the region’s cultural heritage,
and a state-of-the-art learning facility for the digital age. This year, the
Library has further refined its mission, focus, and institutional structure,
developing programs and sponsoring activities in science, humanities and the
arts that address some of the primary issues of concern to the world community.
These have ranged from youth employment, to the
impact of science and mathematics education in the 21st century, to the ethics
of science and technology, to freedom of expression.
In the short span of its existence, the Library counts among its achievements the founding of seven specialized research institutes, the establishment of several museums, the addition of tens of thousands of books through direct acquisition and private donations, and the organization of scores of cultural, scientific and educational activities. Visitors, researchers and international figures flock to the BA, and the Library is proud to count among its many supporters 35 Associations of Friends in as many countries of the world, who share the Library’s message and help build support for its mission. Visit the Library at www.bibalex.org.
The Baltimore
Friends undertake a variety of activities to support and promote the Library
:
• Fundraising initiatives and events
• Book drives
• Internship/training program: for BA staff to enjoy the benefits of
training offered by American institutions, and/or for
zzprofessionals to volunteer short periods of
their time in the Library
• Exchange programs between Baltimore institutions and the library
• Lectures and seminars on topics related to the library
International
Friends Privileges
The BA offers the International Friends Associations:
• An office and use of Library facilities free of charge to
n researchers from the Friends’ associations
• A dedicated members’ room in the BA
• Special lectures and events in the BA
• A readers’ pass
• Invitations to special private viewings of the BA exhibitions.
• Priority booking for BA cultural events.
• Newsletter subscription, and space to publish articles
• Connections with Friends’ associations from around the world
• Other occasional special offers
Like the ancient Library of Alexandria, the BA is becoming synonymous with diversity, culture and boundless learning, a place for great minds and cultures to meet and flourish. The Baltimore Friends look forward to supporting this great institution, helping it to become a beacon of light, knowledge, understanding and tolerance. For more information on how you can help, or to join the Baltimore Friends, please send an email to: Info@BaltimoreEgypt.org
One of the ways the Baltimore Friends can help the Bibliotheca Alexandrina is by collecting book donations. Although the BA is primarily increasing its collection through purchase and exchange, donations are gratefully accepted. Donations to the Library have included first editions, out-of-print volumes of seminal works, rare books, important documents, and exceptional effects, items that the BA could not have acquired any other way.
In addition to the rare material described above, the Library is also seeking donations of recent/current books (copyrighted between 1990 and the present) on topics such as the applied and physical sciences, technology, the environment, economics, and business management. The books must be in excellent condition. Additional guidelines from the Library can be found below.
To make a donation through the Baltimore Friends, please send an email to: Info@BaltimoreEgypt.org. Donations are tax deductible.
Types of Donations
The Library’s collection focuses on human heritage, and Alexandrian
heritage in particular, but also covers science and technology at a general
reference level. The Library is also providing materials to meet the general
and recreational reading needs of the general public (18 years and over),
and young adults (14-18 years old).
Library
Material
• Manuscripts
[original, facsimile, photocopy, or Microform]
• Rare Books [original, or facsimile published before 1900], maps and
documents
• Books and references on general subjects
• General and specialized periodicals
• Audiovisual material for children, adults, and the visually impaired
xxxxxxxxxxxxx• Digital copies/media
The
Bibliotheca Alexandrina Collection Development Policy
Summary
The main goal in establishing a formal collections development policy is to serve several vital purposes. The policy will guide the library staff in making decisions about the selection, management, and preservation of library materials, inform the public of the principles that govern collection development at Bibliotheca Alexandrina, and assure continuity and consistency of collection development over time. The full policy includes a profile of Bibliotheca Alexandrina, the purpose of the policy, the library mission statement, the library vision statement, the parties responsible for collection development, the different collecting levels, selection tools and guidelines, the weeding policy as well as the gift policy.
The Bibliotheca Alexandrina has approved the following subjects as primary library collections. Each subject is marked with the different collecting levels from one (1) to five (5) where level 5 is the most comprehensive scholarly coverage, level 4 is considered the research level and includes the major published source materials required for dissertations and independent research, and level 3 is the study level which supports undergraduate or graduate course work, or sustained independent study.
|
Subject |
Collecting
Level |
| Ancient library |
5 |
| History of science |
4 |
| Ethics of science & technology |
5 |
| Genetics & Biotechnology |
4 |
| Development issues such as gender, water & environment |
5 |
| History of writing |
4 |
| Art criticism |
5 |
| Egyptology |
5 |
| Alexandria |
5 |
Given limited budgeting and the Board mandate to grow a research
collection, the BA has made a decision to acquire all the general collection
at maximum level 3.
The “weeding policy” establishes standards for the Bibliotheca
Alexandrina in helping the Collection Development Unit staff "weed out"
the unusable books already in the collection. The “gift policy”
establishes standards and procedures for the Gifts & Exchange Unit in
accepting donations that match the collections development policy guidelines.
Other
Material
• Rare antiques or personal effects [statues, rare coins, stamps, personal
effects of historical figures, holdings related to
zzspecific events or occurrences, etc.]
• Works of art
• Rare photos
• Paintings and other works of art
Unaccepted Gifts
The Bibliotheca Alexandrina does not accept certain gifts, including promotional
materials (catalogs & pamphlets), textbooks, directories (except for very
specialized bibliographies), yearbooks of ministries, societies, or organizations/institutions,
etc.
Internship
and Exchange Program
In the interest of promoting mutual ties and interests between the cities of Baltimore, Maryland and Alexandria, Egypt, the Baltimore Friends of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina is pleased to offer an internship and exchange program with the Bibliotheca Alexandrina. The BA, which is establishing itself as an international center of excellence in the fields of science, humanities, arts and culture, and development, desires to be “Egypt’s window on the world, and the world’s window on Egypt.” To this end, the Bibliotheca Alexandrina is actively seeking talented interns and volunteers to work in the library, and is providing opportunities for its staff to travel internationally for specialized training.
The internship/exchange program offers young scholars and professionals from the Baltimore/Washington metropolitan area the opportunity to live in Alexandria and volunteer their skills and expertise at the library for periods of six weeks to up to several months. The program also offers selected members of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina staff the opportunity to enjoy the benefits of traineeships offered by internationally renowned American institutions with which the Friends are affiliated, such as the Walters Art Museum, the Maryland Science Center, the Library of Congress, the Kennedy Center, the University of Maryland, and Towson University (in addition, short-term working opportunities for library staff can be created with IT companies, research laboratories, or other organizations, per the interests of the participant).
The purpose of the internship/exchange program is to strengthen the Bibliotheca Alexandrina and to provide talented individuals from both cities the opportunity to live and work a foreign society. An internship in the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, which includes accommodation with suitable host families in Alexandria, is ideal for college students, recent graduates and professionals, allowing them the opportunity to learn about the library, Egypt, and life in the developing world.
The application criteria and intern exchange period are at the
discretion of the Baltimore Friends and the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, and may
depend on the library’s needs at the time. For example, the library
is currently seeking individuals with library sciences or museum backgrounds,
writing/editing experience, or graphics and/or desktop publishing skills.
This is not an exhaustive list, however. The primary requirements for participants
from the Baltimore Friends are as follows:
• Must be willing to further the goals of both organizations
• Must have completed at least two years of college
• Must be willing to remain at the Bibliotheca for a minimum of 6 weeks
Finalization of program details for each participant should
occur at least three months prior to program start date. The program length
and expectations will be clearly outlined at that time. For more information,
please email the information requested below to: Info@BaltimoreEgypt.org
Internship
and Exchange Program
Initial Application
(Please complete this form and email it,
with your current resume, to: Info@BaltimoreEgypt.org)
| Full name | |
| Address: | |
| Phone number: | |
| Email address: | |
| Education: | |
| Statement of interest (please provide at least two paragraphs describing your interest in the internship program and your specific qualifications): |
*For application form as a word document
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