Please Use Your Library Voices Here!

As tension increases in Egypt over the protests demanding the ouster of President Mubarak, Ismail Serageldin, the Librarian and Director of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, reports it is the youth—both anti-government opponents and supporters of Mubarak—who have been joining hands to protect the famed library during the bounds of the curfew hours. Not only is it a remarkable sight to see these opposed groups holding hands, but I am so impressed to see it is the youth who are holding these institutions sacred! A bit ironic perhaps—as most young people I know just rely on the Google for everything—but it gives me great optimism on both accounts if this story is true. I do hope calm is soon restored and change comes to Egypt as it is so deserved. See more photos of events and a video here.

Below is an image of the granite exterior of the new library with 120 different scripts carved into the stone surface.