The "library as place" -- but what sort of place?
‘Punk Rock Travel Diary’ of Librarians to Palestine
I may well be the last person to have seen this, as it was posted at the end of last month, but the "Librarians to Palestine" group has a wonderfully charming old-fashioned zine -- documenting and illustrating their trip last summer -- that they've scanned and put online.
Librarian’s Guide to Developing an Arabic Literature Collection
Isabella Rowan, the international languages and ESL librarian and Arabic cataloger at Dearborn Public Library in Dearborn, USA, knows a thing or two about managing an Arabic-literature collection at a US public library. She shared some of her insight.
Report Back: Librarians and Archivists for Palestine
It was three months ago that the "Librarians and Archivists for Palestine" group traveled throughout Palestine and Israel in order to connect with colleagues, bear witness, share skills, and seek out possibilities for joint work. Now, coming on October 24, the group will report back on a wide range of findings.
‘Ghilafaat’: The Relationship Between a Book and Its Cover
This summer, Jessamy Klapper began blogging the Arabic books entering Columbia's library system. "Ghilafaat" has only grown since then, adding books and an Instagram component. Klapper answered a few questions about the project for ArabLit.
If You’re in the UK: Visit Your Library
Arabia Books - launched in 2008 - is celebrating its fifth birthday this year. The publisher is marking the occasion by working with the UK's Reading Agency to offer sets of the 26 books the house has published since 2008 to every library authority in the country.
‘Librarians 2 Palestine’ Group Blogging on Palestinians’ Access to Books, Archives, More
From June 22 until July 5, a group of librarians, archivists, and other library workers is traveling around Palestine and Israel in order to connect with colleagues, bear witness, share skills, and seek out possibilities for joint work.
If You’re in Lebanon: Please Donate to Children’s Library in Tyre
I just saw a note from Fatima Sharafeddine -- author and translator of dozens of Arabic children's books as well as a beautiful YA novel, Faten -- about establishing a children's library.
Visit, and Bring Donations to, the BALMAL Arab Library in London
BALMAL -- the Banipal Arab British Centre Library of Modern Arab Literature -- is calling for book donations: The library, at 1 Gough Square in London, contains volumes of fiction, poetry, plays, and memoirs by Arab authors translated into English or in the English original. The library opened in January 2010 and has, according to … Continue reading Visit, and Bring Donations to, the BALMAL Arab Library in London
Children’s Magazines in the Yemen, Libraries in Egypt
I suppose "Children's Magazines in the Yemen" doesn't have the same appealing ring as Salmon Fishing in the Yemen, but -- although Yemen doesn't actually have a salmon-fishing industry -- it really does have children's magazines, although not as many as a few decades ago: According to a report in this week's Yemen Times, even locally produced Arabic … Continue reading Children’s Magazines in the Yemen, Libraries in Egypt
The Fate of the Alexandria Library
The Wall Street Journal's Michael Z. Wise comments today that the Alexandria Library---or Biblioteca Alexandrina---has become a symbol of the "New Egypt." Indeed, we have seen protesters linking arms and taking shifts to protect the Biblioteca in a beautiful show of support for a nation's cultural institutions.
Great Ideas: An Arabic Literary Salon in Louisville, Kentucky
Sophie Maier, superstar librarian* from Louisville, Kentucky recently emailed me about an Arabic literary salon being started up in her local library. Needless to say, I was delighted and fascinated. I asked Sophie a few questions, to which she graciously responded.
