The Library of Alexandria: From the Past to Today

Description

The Library of Alexandria was the ancient world's boldest experiment: an attempt to gather every book on earth under one roof. Its story has become intertwined with famous figures like Cleopatra and Julius Caesar, making it difficult to separate fact from legend. Did it hold half a million scrolls? Did it burn to the ground in a single night? This talk explores who filled its shelves, who studied there, and what really happened to it. We'll then visit the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, the impressive modern library that opened in 2002 near where the ancient one once stood.

Facilitator

Jenny Montasir is an Egyptian-American journalist and educator who lived and worked in Egypt for four years. She teaches journalism at Montclair State University and is the founder of EgyptEd, an educational initiative that brings Egypt’s history and culture to life for children through classes and educational resources.