The British council in Egypt after more than 70 years has closed its wonderful library because Egyptians do not read that much !!
This is according to Paul Smith, the council director who was speaking nervously in the Press conference. “in the TV reports ,you can see his leg under the table shaking nervously up and down” He added that the budget of the library was going to be projected on mutual educational projects.. bla bla bla
I can’t tell you how I feel sad and angry for this decision because I spent my teenagehood in this library , I am still keeping my old subscription ID . I feel more sadder that I did not renew my subscription in the past couple of years :(
Yes Egyptians do not read that much compared to the Indians but this is a stupid decision by all measure because if you think about it and compare to other countries’ cultural centers in Egypt , you will find the British council is much more luckier !!
How many people borrow books from the French Cultural center or the Spanish Cultural center or the German Cultural center for God sake on a daily basis ??
This library was a great source for anyone who interested in learning English and English literature , this library was a great source of western knowledge by cheap prices !! Damn it I always wanted to borrow many political books from there :(
I can’t believe the stupidity of this decision seriously ; so stupid and so fast , it was taken with no respect to what the Egyptians think and want , just like the shock.This was from the main libraries in Cairo for God sake !!
May be the shock will wake up us on the importance of this library and some real intellectuals will be smart enough to send a petition to the British council in UK to reopen it. I never lose hope. By the way where is MRS.Suzanne Mubarak ,the patronage of reading and books in Egypt from all this ??
I am truly angry and sad.
Same here! it was depressing to hear the news, but imagine! if seriously no one goes to read! Then it's a waste of resources and all!
ReplyDeleteThey should though donte those books to the university, maybe English Literature Faculty or soemthing!
So it's confirmed :( I am sad for such decision because this is a main source for any researcher or student in Egypt like the AUC library.
ReplyDeleteIt is truly sad but it shows that the British Council in Egypt isn't truly interested in helping the Egyptians.I bet with you that the Celta courses will keep on...Perhaps it is time for the Egyptian Government to understand that national public schools need much more support, there lies the future...
ReplyDeleteI am someone who is fighting to find a vacancy at a school, I've sent dozens of letters and the unfortunate American and British dominance over most schools doesn't allow someone qualified to find a job because I haven't got the «right» nationality.
@Cairene, they said that they will donate the books to the universities in Egypt. Still I believe that they should not have closed it , what about other cultural centers !!!??
ReplyDeleteDid they study the reason why people began to stop going to libraries ??
@Hicham , I do not want to shock you but even the AUC library has been transferred to the new campus at New Cairo from the Old Falki building :(
@anonymous, our government does not want our kids to be properly educated just like they want us not to read so they can control us much easier !!
Thats a devastating news !!!
ReplyDeleteI am extremely disappointed since I had the will to renew my subscribtion as soon as i finish my IGCSE..so now do u know any other library as good near by the british council, zamalik or mohandeseen?
I ll really appreciate it if you can help me on this...instead of just giving in and start wasting my time the way watching TY!
it is really something that can make anyone who is interested in books feel so sad and angry especially after the library of the auc has also been moved to that place in i dont know where!!!!!
ReplyDeletei am so sad and shocked i feel that things are going from worse to worst everyday.