For me, one of the best parts of my day is reading with my son–already, I can tell he values books by the way he carries them to me and can spend a full 45 minutes reading. Yet books are undervalued in the everyday world—in 2007, The New Yorker published a particularly dispiriting piece, The Twilight of Books. The author, Caleb Crain, cites several studies, almost all of which point to the depressing notion that not only is literacy decreasing, but the appreciation of a good book is, too.
According to Crain’s research, in 2005, US households spent around $126 on books, or just over the price of a month’s gym membership; in 2006, Americans bought an average of 7.93 books. And if the closings of libraries all over the US are anything to go by, it’s unlikely the statistics are simply a matter of belt-tightening.
Which is why today’s news about Egyptian youth saving the New Library of Alexandria made me cry. Even now, when Egypt is, at some of the political shows put it, “in crisis”, Egyptians are working together to protect their books.
Here’s the letter from Ismail Serageldin, Librarian of Alexandria, Director of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina. The emphasis is mine.
“The world has witnessed an unprecedented popular action in the streets of Egypt. Led by Egypt’s youth, with their justified demands for more freedom, more democracy, lower prices for necessities and more employment opportunities. These youths demanded immediate and far-reaching changes. This was met by violent conflicts with the police, who were routed. The army was called in and was welcomed by the demonstrators, but initially their presence was more symbolic than active. Events deteriorated as lawless bands of thugs, and maybe agents provocateurs, appeared and looting began. The young people organized themselves into groups that directed traffic, protected neighborhoods and guarded public buildings of value such as the Egyptian Museum and the Library of Alexandria. They are collaborating with the army. This makeshift arrangement is in place until full public order returns.
“The library is safe thanks to Egypt’s youth, whether they be the staff of the Library or the representatives of the demonstrators, who are joining us in guarding the building from potential vandals and looters. I am there daily within the bounds of the curfew hours. However, the Library will be closed to the public for the next few days until the curfew is lifted and events unfold towards an end to the lawlessness and a move towards the resolution of the political issues that triggered the demonstrations.” (Via National Geographic and Jennifer Howard)
*It’s not clear exactly what happened to the original library, but the take I’ve seen a few times it that the original Library of Alexandria was accidentally burnt down by Julius Caesar in 48 BC. Although it was rebuilt, the new library was later destroyed by the Bishop of Alexandria, Theophilus, in 391 AD. The current library, the New Library of Alexandria was inaugurated in 2002. Some sources also credit Caliph Omar with the library’s destruction.
This isn’t the first time people on the ground have banded together to save a library. In April 2003 during the invasion of Iraq, Alia Muhammad Baker, chief librarian at Basra’s central library–home to several rare and irreplaceable texts–rescued 70% of the libraries books with the help of her friends and neighbors. US book buying may be declining now, but these two instances, at least, offer hope.
*edited to clarify the ambivalence about the original library’s destruction.
