Librarianship in Lebanon in the Post–Civil War Period

Authors

  • Elizabeth Vernon Harvard College Library

Abstract

This paper describes how Lebanese librarian coped with the impact of the civil war (1975–1991), and their post–war efforts to rebuild the library infrastructure. Despite damage from bombing, triple–digit inflation, and staff shortages, many libraries functioned throughout the conflict. The American University of Beirut opened for business every day, although badly damaged, and is now moving vigorously to rebuild and renew services. Some new staff have been hired, and an archives department has been established. Automation is underway. Beirut University College, not severely damaged in the war, has taken up new projects, such as indexing of special collections and continuing education for librarians. At the Lebanese University, open only intermittently during the war, there is now a systematic approach to collection processing in the education faculty library. New initiatives are being taken also in the national archives, and by the Lebanese Library Association. Despite the serious impact of the war, the library community in Lebanon is focused on regeneration and progress.

Author Biography

Elizabeth Vernon, Harvard College Library

Elizabeth Vernon is a technical services librarian in the Judaica Division, Area Studies Department, Harvard College Library. She has an M.A. in Middle Eastern studies from Harvard University, and an M.L.S. from Simmons College. She is author of Jewish Studies Courses at American and Canadian Universities, and several articles related to Judaica and Middle Eastern librarianship. Ms. Vernon has lectured on preservation issues before the Lebanese Librarians’ Association and at the Tunisian Institute for Documentation.

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Issue

Vol. 4 No. 2 (1994)

Section

Articles

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