7 - 13 June 2001
Issue No.537
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Al-Ahram Weekly Online 7 - 13 June 2001 Issue No.537 |
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| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 | Current issue | Previous issue | Site map | ||
Navel of the world
The circumstances in which the Alexandria Library is now being established differ significantly from those surrounding the library in its initial incarnation more than 2,000 years ago. At that time the book, in its traditional manuscript form, was the sole basis of knowledge, and as the library kept the greatest number of such manuscripts in any one place, it was truly the centre of knowledge.
Now, by contrast, the book faces fierce competition from a wide variety of modern and electronic media: the Internet, CD-ROMs and e-books are only three examples. That the Alexandria Library should be the proud owner of the greatest number of books in any one place in the world means nothing in itself, for any one person armed with a computer, an Internet connection and a credit card could probably obtain all the information the library contains in one sitting.
The most cheering news is that the Alexandria Library has been designed as a centre of knowledge in the electronic age. Perhaps, should international conferences and events be organised there -- and that, to my knowledge, is the plan -- the Alexandria Library will have a true impact on world affairs.
Based on an interview by Mohamed Salmawy.
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