Working in a library it’s easy to feel that your job is difficult and start to complain. This is especially true this morning when a card-swipe box went defective causing an ear-splitting ringing sound in the reading room (which library patrons blamed on us naturally). Then I read the following article from the New York Times which Susan sent me and it put things into perspective. At least I don’t work in a library in Baghdad.
Baghdad Day to Day: Librarian’s Journal
Saad Eskander’s Web diary details the daily hurdles of keeping Iraq’s central library open, preserving the surviving archives and books and, oh yes, staying alive.
Dr. Saad Eskander’s library diary is available online through the British Library website.
Panorama of the Mountains 
We have now posted Dr Eskander’s journal entries for 1-14 February on the British Library website. His diary entry for 8 February is particularly harrowing – a reminder to us of the dreadful situation that out professional colleagues in Baghdad are experiencing.
Best wishes
Andy Stephens, BL Board Secretary
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More on libraries in Baghdad at Alive in Baghdad.
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