Acclaimed as the largest, oldest and grandest libraries in the world by most medievalists, there is evidence that shows the Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana dates back as far as the fourth century, where the ‘Scrinium of the Roman Church’ offered both a library and an archive. For unknown reasons, this archive and library were dispersed in…
For this edition of Looking at Libraries, we will be focusing on the national library of Egypt: The Bibliotheca Alexandrina. Founded in 2002, Library of Alexandria is a modern-day tribute to the historical Bibliotheca Alexandrina. Described as a “Symbol of great cultural and philosophical significance”, the original library was charged with the task of collating…
When it comes to technology, everything seems to move so quickly; you’ve barely mastered the potential of your latest smartphone, and you’re being pestered to upgrade it to the ‘new and improved edition’. There’s always something new, whether it’s a cutting-edge television, sound system or kitchen gadget. But with the exception of ground-breaking innovations, the…
Libraries embody humankind’s unquenchable thirst for knowledge. They provide civilised society with a place to broaden their understanding of whatever it is that they seek to comprehend. The possession of knowledge has long since been regarded as highly prestigious, especially by the world’s elite as it signifies the possession of great power and influence. Although…
At the height of the digital age, it comes as no surprise to learn that the number of library users across England has been steadily decreasing for the last few years. According to statistics taken from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport’s Taking Part report, our country’s libraries have seen an overall decrease of…