Most people are probably aware by now of the turmoil going on over in Egypt, with the government cutting off all Internet access as part of its effort to stay in control. While much of this is outside the scope of TeleRead’s coverage, this is not: National Geographics’s News Watch blog, reposts a letter of gratitude from Alexandria’s Librarian Ismail Serageldin, director of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, to a number of the mobilized youth of Egypt for banding together to help protect the library from vandals and thugs during this troubled time.
“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,” Ismail writes. He notes that the library will be closed to the public for the next few days, until the lawlessness subsides.
Hypatia would be proud.
The Bibliotheca Alexandrina is one of several sites around the world that hosts a complete copy of the Internet Archive. (Though I expect it’s currently a little out of date, given Egypt’s current disconnection from the Internet.)
(Found via GalleyCat.)
I don’t believe there is any evidence of vandals whatsoever. The only reports of such damage have concerned thieves looking for Gold.
Vandals beware: Dr. Zahi is out in front of the Cairo museum, brandishing a spear at anything that moves and hurling the least-favored fellows at looters.
On a serious note, I doubt that Egyptians would vandalize the museums or libraries, but I do not blame some of them for making certain of it.