The idea was when I was going to my computer-programming course, I was walking beside the Cairo university wall and exactly beside the faculty of arts, and I saw many books inside one of the college's building. just there I got the idea which about to go and take A look there maybe THE LIBRARY takes a piece of my lost time in just sitting in the college with no reason. The building was the main library of the Cairo University.
Actually, I forgot about the idea for a while, and after days, when I was just walking with no target as usual in the university and inside the faculty of arts.
I remembered my idea I told my friend lets go and take a look – of course acting like it’s a funny thing we gonna do to avoid his reaction – I intend to take my friend with me there maybe he change his mind about reading and make it one of his interests because it wasn't ( as its for most of Egyptian youth ).
The Library... there u find whatever you want, all books about every thing in every thing there you find at least a book for every author on earth.
Unfortunately, that was my background about the library and the reality wasn't like that.
Before I describe what I saw, you really need to look at your college, university, school; house or any other places have libraries in it.
The reality I saw was too old for a library in the 21 century ( not mentioning
its The main library of Cairo university ) the library I saw was like a library in 1930 (the date of constructing the library )
after minutes lost in that unmarked place just to find where I will sit and read I entered the room to collect a interesting book and start reading I was completely lost so I asked the librarian about the book which called "Think and Grow Rich" from Napoleon Hill The librarian doesn't know the book! Then she told me go to the index I was like excuse me! She replied Go To the Index I told her yeah, I heard but how? The index is some who knows about every book, where to find it in the library? She told me sarcastic No it is a room just right there. I told my friend joking, "lets go to the index" because he was like a tourist in the books museum just look around with a wonder smile on his face. In the index was the second shock it is a room full of small drawers and the drawer is full of small papers on every drawer there is three letters! Moreover, on the wall there is a signboard written in it steps you follow to find what you want in drawers. After like 15 minutes of searching in the author name with no result. My friend told me 15 minutes just in searching the name of the author! What it will take in finding the book? Then we left. Although I am thankful for the kind, way people treat you there I left the library a huge question mark with over my head. I just ask Is that why no one interested in reading as much as before? Is that why music , football , movies , TV shows , sitting on cafés with no reason, going out, laugh, making money, etc. worth much to people more then reading & knowledge ? Is that the age that books will die through it? What I saw in my university library is what all Egypt's libraries, colleges, schools, etc.? Moreover, because I am in computer programming field I just ask Why I didn't saw a computer in the library? They never heard about it? They think that the computer have no thing to do with libraries? They never heard about the Database programming and how it converts the paper works and archives stuff to an easy and fast work? My last question is What will be the new central library of all Egypt Universities in Cairo University looks like?
February, 04, 2007 6:06 AM