Manuscripts from Malta for new library in Egypt

Copies of 33 manuscripts from the National Library of Malta were yesterday presented to the new Bibliotheca Alexandrina in Egypt.

The original third century library had been destroyed in a fire and the Egyptian government, in close co-operation with Unesco, decided in the early 1990s to build a new library in Alexandria. The library opened last month.

On the setting up of the new library, the Maltese government was approached with a request for copies of any material in Arabic script found at Malta`s National Library.

The aim was to supply the new Egyptian library with copies of Arabic works found in foreign libraries.

Discussions were held between the Egyptian Ambassador to Malta, Yahya el Ramlawy, and the Director of the Libraries and Archives Department, Philip Borg.

In the National Library of Malta, 33 manuscripts were identified, most of them 18th century works dealing with the history of the Ottoman Empire. Other manuscripts included dictionaries and grammars of the Arabic language.

The three-phased project was commenced by the library staff at the beginning of the year. The manuscripts were first microfilmed. Copies were then printed from the microfilms and the print-outs were bound in 33 volumes.

The presentation of the volumes by Education Minister Louis Galea to Dr Mohamed Shaban, assistant minister at the Egyptian Foreign Ministry, who is visiting Malta, was held at the National Library in Valletta.

The National Library has now started discussions with the Egyptian authorities to acquire, from the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, copies of books or documents related to the Maltese community in Alexandria.

During the presentation, Dr Galea said that the copies of the manuscripts being given to the Bibliotheca Alexandrina were an example of the immense and valuable heritage that Malta has in its archives and at the National Library.

The minister said that maintaining such an incredible amount of high-value books was a delicate task that the Department of Libraries carry out on an on-going basis. He mentioned the important work that is being undertaken at the book restoration unit, which now forms part of the Malta Centre for Restoration in Bighi. The minister also said that last year the fire and security system at the National Library was upgraded to ensure that these treasures were protected against fire and theft.