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School Library Media Month April 2011Library Media ServicesMiami-Dade County Public Schools

Ancient Libraries: 300 BCE – 200 BCEAncient Libraries: 300 BCE – 200 BCE

First great private library established…

Established in Ancient Greece in the city of Athens

Established by Aristotle, philosopher and scientist

Source: SIRS Knowledge Source & Grolier Multimedia

Ancient Libraries:ca. 300 BCE

Source: Grolier Multimedia

Athens

Ancient Libraries: ca. 300 BCE

Location of Aristotle’s private library

Library of Pergamum in Western Asia Minor Located in Western Asia Minor…now Turkey Founded by Attalus I Contained as many as 160,000 papyrus scrolls

Source: Facts on File - Ancient History

Pergamum

Ancient Libraries - ca. 200 BCE

Legend: Ptolemy II, ruler of Alexandria, became so jealous of the competing Pergamum library that he banned the export of papyrus from Egypt.

So…

Ancient Libraries: Pergamum and Alexandria

Legend continued……the scribes at the Pergamum library were forced to transcribe text on parchment, a material made from animal skins, such as calf skin or sheep skin.

Ancient Libraries: Pergamum and Alexandria

FactParchment was found to be much more durable than papyrus; thus, it came to replace papyrus as the main writing material in Europe.

Ancient Libraries: Pergamum and Alexandria

Source: eLibrary

Source: Grolier Multimedia

Ancient Libraries Today: Pergamum - The Ruins

Source: World Book

Ancient Alexandria was home to a

library, which was founded about 295

B.C. and burned to the ground in the

fourth century. Ruins were never found.

The auditoriums were found near the

portico of the Roman Theater in the

eastern part of the city. All the lecture

halls are of identical dimensions.

Ancient Libraries Today: Library at Alexandria

The ancient libraries of Alexandria and Pergamum were intended to be places where the most eminent minds of the time would meet. These ancient facilities were the research centers of the world. Aristotle, Archimedes, Eratosthenes, Euclid, and others used the Alexandria library. Scholars from all over the world were invited to come.

Source: http://www.alia.org.au/groups/active/presentations/alexandria.jpg

Ancient Libraries: Pergamum and Alexandria

The library at Alexandria was open to all civilization. Every effort was made to collect and transcribe every book in the world. Any ship that docked in Alexandria was searched. If any books were found, they were copied for the library.

Source: http://www.alia.org.au/groups/active/presentations/alexandria.jpg

Ancient Libraries: Pergamum and Alexandria

Sadly…the library at Alexandria was partially burned when Julius Caesar and his army attacked Alexandria. No one knows how much of it was destroyed. It is believed that the library was finally destroyed by an earthquake… although there are other legends that explain its demise.

Source: http://culture11.com/files/libertywire/u5/image/4_Cole_Thomas_The_Course_of_Empire_Destruction_1836.jpg

Ancient Libraries: Pergamum and Alexandria

The Library at Pergamum came under the control of the Romans around 133 BCE. Funds that covered the maintenance of the library soon dwindled and the library was no longer kept maintained…thus eventually falling into ruins.

Source: http://library.thinkquest.org/17709/images/pergmum2.jpg

Ancient Libraries: Pergamum and Alexandria

Our journey continued to…

Source: Facts on File

Greece

Source: Facts on File

Greece

Source: WorldBook

The first great private library was established in the The first great private library was established in the city of __________.city of __________.

From Greece we travelled to…

Source: Facts on File

Turkey (Nineveh)

Source: Facts on File

TurkeyTurkey (Nineveh)(Nineveh)

Source: World Book

Why did parchment, which was used in the Pergamum Library in Why did parchment, which was used in the Pergamum Library in Turkey, replace papyrus as the main writing material in Europe?Turkey, replace papyrus as the main writing material in Europe?

Today we visited…

Source: Facts on File

Who do you think most frequently had the opportunity to use the Ancient Libraries? Explain.

When a new book for the ancient libraries at Alexandria and Pergamum was discovered, how was a copy made? (Remember…this is ca. 300 BCE.)

What are some theories that explain the destruction of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina in Alexandria, Egypt?

Think About It…

Visit your school library media center to discover the answers.

Your library media specialist…your ultimate search engine… is eager to help

you!!!

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