{"id":13565,"date":"2015-08-08T09:52:08","date_gmt":"2015-08-08T13:52:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pierrejoris.com\/blog\/?p=13565"},"modified":"2015-08-08T09:52:08","modified_gmt":"2015-08-08T13:52:08","slug":"the-digitization-process-at-iraqs-national-library","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pierrejoris.com\/blog\/the-digitization-process-at-iraqs-national-library\/","title":{"rendered":"The Digitization Process at Iraq\u2019s National\u00a0Library"},"content":{"rendered":"

via Arab Literature (in English):<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

BY MLYNXQUALEY<\/a><\/span><\/span> on<\/em> 0<\/a> )<\/span><\/p>\n

The Associated Press recently ran a brief story<\/a> about digitization and restoration efforts at the Iraqi National Library in Baghdad:<\/em>\"digitize\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Digitization efforts have been ongoing for several years, as noted in this 2013\u00a0International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) interview<\/a> with Saad Eskander, Director of Iraq National Library and Archives. The hook in the recent story\u00a0\u2014 as you can see in the tag \u2014 is Daesh.<\/p>\n

According to the 2013 interview:<\/p>\n

The INLA was the fifth institution to join the World Digital Library Project and we\u2019ve put special emphasis on digitisation. Through purchases and gifts we could set up the first advanced IT department in Iraq. Our IT staff regularly receive training inside and outside Iraq. Tens of thousands of records and periodicals have been digitized.<\/p>\n

Indeed, the Iraq National Library and Archives (INLA) has had many reasons to focus on digitization. Ordinary restoration and digitization of ancient manuscripts was also complicated by the 2003 fire and looting of the library<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The August 2015 AP article<\/a> focuses on ongoing efforts \u2014 which reporter\u00a0Vivian Salama\u00a0describes as \u201cfeverish\u201d \u2014 to restore and digitize books and manuscripts. There\u2019s also a lovely photo series of restoration work<\/a> that accompanies the article. Meanwhile,\u00a0recent AP video footage features\u00a0Saad Eskander, even though the article quotes\u00a0Jamal Abdel-Majeed Abdulkareem,\u00a0acting director of Baghdad libraries and archives.<\/p>\n

In the video, Eskander talks about going to the black market to purchase guns for library security. \u201cHere, in Baghdad, you cannot rely on the police and guards to protect you.\u201d<\/p>\n

He also talks about not\u00a0destroying Saddam\u2019s books or books of the Baath party. \u201cThey have historical value. But you can remove the extra copies.\u201d<\/p>\n

Also, various interiors and exteriors:<\/p>\n