Re-opening of the Iraq National Library and Archive
The latest news from Dr. Saad Eskander, Director-General of the Iraq
National Library and Archive, is that he and the department heads
have met. Despite the fact that the security situation is not one
whit better than it has been of late, they have decided to re-open
their institution. Dr. Eskander has divided the librarians and
archivists into two groups; each group will work a three-day week,
permitting access throughout the week. As he put it in an e-mail
communication,"We all felt that it was vital to serve our people
regardless of the security situation." Given that all citizens of
Baghdad--and other places in Iraq--face many challenges simply trying
to make their way, day to day, our Iraqi colleagues deserve sympathy,
admiration, and honor for risking their lives in service of their
institution and the commonweal.
Jeffrey B. Spurr
Islamic and Middle East Specialist
Aga Khan Program for Islamic Architecture
Fine Arts Library, Harvard University