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The Story of Libraries: From Ancient Sumeria to America

LS 501: Introduction to Library & Information Studies

Revised Summer 2008, 2010, 2011

C. 2003, Deborah J. Grimes, Tuscaloosa, AL

See YouTube for videos on libraries and history mentioned in this section.

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Why Libraries? Reflections of society and culture Peace and tranquility “Golden Ages” Economic prosperity

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Libraries in Antiquity: Sumeria First to move from oral to written communication Sumerian cuneiform

“Houses of Tablets” found (over 600,000 tablets found at 250 sites)

Floor Plan of royal Hittite library; thousands of clay tables found in 7 rooms

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Ashurbanipal’s Library

Assyria, 668-626 BC Royal Library at Ninevah Over 30,000 tablets Began as royal archive Expanded with goal to collect everything else known at the time -- sent agents all over the world to copy and collectRoyal scribes copied and annotated ancient texts (librarians, authors, scholars)

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Earliest Libraries Found in Ancient Sumeria

Modern Day Iraq

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Iraqi National Museum Deputy Director Mushin Hasan holds his head in his hands as he sits on destroyed artifacts on April 13, 2003. (MSNBC)

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Mesopotamian Cuneiform Tablets, c. 3000-2000 BC, economic text, 4.75 in. high

Photographs shown with permission of Allan Anawati of Medusa Ancient Art, Champlain, NY, http://www.pashamedia.com/medusa.html .

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Libraries in Antiquity: Egypt

Hieroglyphics and papyrus Purpose of writing Temples, Khufu, Khafre, Edfu,

Rameses II --libraries emerged about 2400 BC

Rosetta Stone

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Rosetta Stone, found 1799

Hieroglyphic

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Libraries in Antiquity: Greece Crete -- from pictograph to cursive

script Adoption of Phoenician alphabet Pergamum and parchment Greek words biblos (book) + theke

(container or repository) = origin of the word bibliotecha -- or library

Papyrus fragments from Glasgow University Library

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From “A Bequest Unearthed. Phoenicia …” c.2003

Salim George Khalaf, A Bequest Unearthed, Phoenicia, Chapel Hill, NC, USA, 2003 (2004, 5, 6...etc.), http://phoenicia.org

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Greek Alexandrian library in Egypt (aka Museion) --288 BC Planned by Ptolemy Soter (283 BC) but executed by his son Ptolemy

Philadelphus Mission to collect the entirety of Greek literature (and more) through

“aggressive collection development” -- 700,00 manuscripts Brucheum and Serapium Book arts standardized formats and forms of literature through copies Contributed to the book trade monopoly to the time of Caesar Restricted use gave way to more “public” and “university” use

Biblioteca Alexandrina, c.2002

Alexandrian Library

Trip to Biblioteca Alexandrina – 5 year anniversary Carl Sagan

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Callimachus -- First Known Librarian

Greek poet, scholar, literary critic

Alexandrian Library -- bibliographer -- Pinakes (annotated subject catalog)

“Father of Librarians” or “Father of Bibliography” or “Father of Catalogers”

News of your death. Tears, and the memory of all the times we talked the sun down the sky. You, Herakleitos of Halikarnassos, once my friend, now vacant dust, whose poems are nightingales beyond the clutch of the unseen god.

(Callimachus)

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Libraries in Antiquity: Rome

Greek influence Personal status, private

libraries Roman generals brought home

libraries as booty Golden Age -- spread of

libraries (98-190 AD)

Atrium Libertatis - first public library

Libraries of antiquity set ideals for modern, Western libraries

Cicero in his library, 18th. C. engraving

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Libraries in Antiquity: Byzantine Libraries

Constantine I Valued education and writing Founded the Imperial Library

353 AD, which contained Greek, Latin, and Christian works

Imperial Library served both scholarly and religious mission

75% Greek classics today known from Byzantine copies

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Libraries in Antiquity: Moslem Libraries

Moslem Empire flourished 650-1000 AD Respect for reading and learning -- homes,

palaces, universities Royal Library at Damascus Baghdad --center for Greek medical, scientific,

and philosophical works -- 36 libraries Moslem universities held not only Arabic works

but also Greek, Latin, Persian Particularly notable for preservation of the works of

Aristotle for the Western world

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From Manuscripts to Books

Papyrus rolls/scrolls replaced with parchment (sheepskin) codex

Christians adopted parchment format for the Scriptures

Advantages: Easier to handle than a scroll More economical (both sides) More compact

Differentiated Christian texts from others

Drawings from “Manuscript Books” by Richard W. Clement at http://www.ebooks2go.com

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Libraries in the Middle Ages: Christian Monasticism, & Learning

Christian monasticism as refuge from social, economic, political chaos at Fall of the Roman Empire

Cassiodorus -- Vivarium (ca.540-553) library Every monastery had some provision for copying

manuscripts Some “ordinary” scribes and some specially trained

in calligraphy and art

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Benedictines & DominicansBenedictine orders viewed libraries as a place for spiritual reflection, archive religious texts, & reproduced religious and some secular textsDominican orders established concern for location, shelving, organization (by subject), labeling on spines, acquisitions and weeding (Domini canis -- Dogs of God)

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Libraries in the Middle Ages: Irish Scriptoria & Missionaries

6th. Century monasteries -- source of numerous manuscripts of the Bible, including pure Latin versions sent back to Europe

Scriptoria established a national script and national art, characterized by superb calligraphy, illumination, and fine workmanship

Irish missionaries spread the Gospel (and learning and books) to England, Scotland, northern Europe

Chief transmitters and preservers of knowledge for more than 150 years in late Middle Ages

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Libraries in the Middle Ages: The Carolingian Renaissance

Charlemagne (768-814) -- revival of learning in the Frankish empire

Scriptoria in monasteries and cathedrals “It was the universal multiplication of

copies in the century 750-850 that enabled scholarship to survive the disasters of the following century and hand on a legacy to the future.” (Grierson)

Charles the Bald -- first princely bibliophile -- finest codices of the age -- personal library

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Illuminated manuscript page from the Books of Kells, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland, ca.

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Libraries in the Middle Ages: 850 to 1200 A.D.

Charlemagne’s empire destroyed by war and invasion Meager collections -- all the more valuable Book-curses and ammarius / librarius Monastery writings

“Here, then, are the treasures of the monastery, here are riches feeding the soul with the sweetness of the heavenly life.

“An inexpressible number of books perished, leaving us deprived of our spiritual weapons.

“A monastery without a book-chest is like a castle without an armory.”

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Libraries in the Middle Ages: Rise of Islam Late 5th. Century -- new religion and political power under

Prophet Mohammed Moslems raided Byzantine Empire, conquered most of

Middle East, and spread books and libraries to Spain and Africa

Baghdad -- center of culture with “a house of wisdom” (830 AD) -- Library/academic/translation center

Moslems controlled paper-making while Western world continued to use papyrus and parchment for 500 yrs.

Book production, lavish mosque and educational libraries, catalogs, display cases, regular library staff

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Libraries in the Middle Ages: The Crusades Fourth Crusade led to sack of Constantinople and both

great loss and dispersion of literary works (1200s) Eventually stimulated trade, growth, prosperity, merchant

(middle) class, individual freedom, advances in study of medicine

Students and teachers congregated in certain locations, no longer “itinerate”

Control over books and learning passed from monasteries to secular clergy and universities (University of Paris first) --yet decline of monasticism led to drastic neglect of libraries

Stationarii rented correct editions of books to students; books chained to desks

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Chained Books

"Handwritten books and the earlier printed books were rare and valuable objects that had to be protected from theft, and so in the libraries of medieval monasteries andcathedrals, the large folios (books made of paper folded once) and quartos (with sheets folded into fourths) were chained to cupboards and could be used only at the attached desks. The long rooms of benches and stalls gradually gave way to wall shelving when printed books began to be produced in smaller sizes and became less expensive."

* "library" Britannica Online. <http://www.eb.com:180/cgi-bin/g?DocF=micro/348/35.html> [Accessed 30 September 1998].

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Libraries in the Middle Ages: War, Black Death & Light at the End of the Tunnel 14th. Century rife with war and plague, reducing

resources, craftsmen, and production of reading materials Charles V (1364-1380) built library which was basis of

French Royal Library First large private library in England (1000 vols.) Aldermanic libraries in Germany Public demand for books and learning Sorbonne University library grew -- bequests, original

manuscripts, locked to “strangers” who needed introduction, “pledge” required

Lectern system of library organization, shelf-list

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Libraries in the Renaissance: The Age of Humanism End of the Byzantine Empire and further

dispersion of Greek culture Period of economic, social, and political

ferment (centered in Italy) Petrarch -- “Father of Humanism” Increased sense of nationalism -- rise of

national libraries with depository rights Decline in power of the church and

increased interest in politics, literature, and ancient philosophy

“Aristocratic enthusiasm” -- led to great private libraries (Boccaccio, Medici, Urbino) -- “acquisitions” --

Petrarch, 1304-1374

(Francesco Petrarca)

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Libraries in the Renaissance: The Vatican Library

Librarian - Tortelli Rome once again

center of scholarly world Pope Sixtus IV

continued to build Librarian, Platina (the

Humanist) Rooms worthy of the

collection Greek, Roman,

reserves, tech. services

Largest, most important of 15th. C.

Pope Nicholas V “re-founded”

Added volumes from personal collection

Sent agents all over world to track down classics

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Libraries in the Renaissance: The Vatican Library

Hall of Sixtus V

Research in the Vatican Library

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Libraries in the Renaissance: Characteristics Unlike medieval libraries, open to

the public Collections included varying

points of view, schools of thought Shelving and classification same

as Middle Ages Products of the printing press

rigidly excluded by bibliophiles (not accepted until end of century)

Beautiful rooms and facilities

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Movable Type

Origins of movable type Gutenberg’s press (1454) and early publications Results of movable type

Authoritative versions Increase in supply of books and variety of topics Greater diffusion of knowledge Growth of vernacular works and increased literacy Dissemination of classical literature Flowering of national literature & literary criticism Learning more available to all people

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Libraries in the Reformation: Martin Luther in the 1500s

Encouraged building good libraries, library buildings, and public libraries

Henry VIII dissolved monasteries and appropriated their library collections but much was lost or dispersed

Philip II -- Spain -- outstanding library of 2000 items

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Founding of the great national libraries (1600s) Bibliotheque Nationale -- established

after French Revolution (formerly Bibliotheque Royale) -- formed from confiscated church libraries and private collections

British Museum Library inc. 1753 -- 1 million vols. by 1870

Libraries in 1600s -- 1900s

The Reader, Fragonard

Samuel Pepys -- most famous private library -- 3000 vols.Reading became fashionable for women (1700s)Industrial Revolution -- libraries to support educationGlobally -- expansion of public libraries

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Bibliotheque

Nationale de France

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The British Museum Library

Restored reading room inside British Museum, 2000

Treasures of the British Library

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Libraries in The New World: Colonial Libraries

Settlers’ private libraries Captain John Smith -- 2 bks Miles Standish -- 50 bks William Bradford -- 80 bks John Harvard -- 300+ bks John Winthrop -- 1000+ bks

First printing press -- 1639 Early colleges founded First “public” library -- Boston -- 1655 Parochial libraries established

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Libraries in The New World: The American Revolution & Nationalism Before the Revolution

Ben Franklin, wealth, and social libraries

After the Revolution The Athenaeum -- reading rooms established Mechanics’/apprentices’ libraries Mill libraries Circulating/lending libraries

Nationalism Historical societies State and territorial libraries The Library of Congress

The Boston Athaenum

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The Library of Congress

Authorized 1800

Burned 1814 by British Army

Jefferson restocked

Continuous growth since

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Libraries in The New World: The Nineteenth Century Western expansion -- “Coonskin

library” Educational influences

1827 -- NY School district library formed 1833 -- Tax-supported free public library

-- Peterborough, NH 1852 -- Boston Public Library Public schools Johns Hopkins University (German

model)

State library commissions Influence of philanthropy

Andrew Carnegie

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Libraries in The New World: The Birth of the American Library Profession

1853 -- 82 men attend librarians’ conference -- NY (over 10,000 attend ALA/CLA in Toronto 2003)

Key events in 1876 Public Libraries in the United States of

America published by US Bureau of Education American Library Association formed Dewey’s classification system published Cutter’s Rules for Making a Dictionary

Catalogue published

First library school established at Columbia College by Dewey in 1887

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The Library’s Role in Preservation & Culture?

Brittle books? Digital vs. paper preservation issues? Lloyd’s issue with history/culture/preservation? UNESCO “Memory of the World” project?

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The Role of Libraries in the Information Society

The story of libraries continues another day ……...