LISNews: Librarian News

A Story on the new National Library in Lebanon. The newly reconstructed library will contain 250,000 books, reconstruction of the National Museum cost $5 million. The first library was damaged during the civil war.

“Without a National Library, a cultural pillar, Lebanon will lose the intellectual heritage that we’re so proud of,”, said Youssef Beydoun, Education Minister “The library project is the last phase of the commitments that the ministry has made during this special year,” he explained. According to Beydoun, the Lebanese Committee for the National Library was set up to re-establish a library to house the books, since its pre-war version was damaged during the civil war.
In order to revive Lebanon’s reputation as the “intellectual lighthouse” in the Middle East, more financial support is needed, the minister emphasized. Prince Albert of Monaco pledged $100,000 to restore the library and French aid should soon be donated, he explained.