Friends and colleagues,

For anyone in the Boston area next week, please note the following announcement concerning the open talk by Dr. Saad Eskander, Director-General of the Iraq National Library and Archive, at the BPL on Thursday, 8 November.  Anyone wishing more information, or the text of that portion of my July 2007 report on the status of Iraqi libraries and archives addressing the INLA and Dr. Eskander's role in its rehabilitation, please do not hesitate to get in touch.  Please communicate this announcement to any interested parties.
 

Jeff  

The talk will take place at:

Rabb Lecture Hall.  It is located in the Concourse level of the Johnson building.  The easiest way to enter is through the Boylston Street entrance.  Once you pass the Information Desk, you will see a set of elevators or two sets of stairs.  Either one will take you to the Concourse Level (one level below the first floor).

Dr. Eskander is an exceptionally compelling figure, perhaps the lone remaining forthright, public exponent of liberal values and a non-sectarian worldview left in Baghdad.  This makes him a very brave man, who risks his life everyday simply to go to work.  One may get a sense of that life, and an incomparably vivid description of daily experiences of a private Iraqi citizen as well as a public person from his Diary on the British Library website, which may be found at:http://www.bl.uk/iraqdiary.html

Jeffrey B. Spurr
Islamic and Middle East Specialist
Aga Khan Program for Islamic Architecture
Fine Arts Library, Harvard University
Fogg Art Museum
32 Quincy St.
Cambridge, MA 02138-3802
Phone:  (617) 495-3372
Fax:      (617) 496-4889