Juan Cole quotes an interesting piece On Removing pro-Baath Books from the Libraries in Iraq, specifically university libraries. This is interesting in itself, although having seen the reaction to book weeding in the UK, I can’t help wonder exactly what is happening in Iraq, i.e. whether this is an attempt at balance, presumably with the accession of other books, or whether this is a proper purge. Some of Juan’s commenters have a similar attitude to those in the UK who find the public library’s skip and launch into hysterics:
Good libraries are scarce just about anyplace outside the OECD. Here they diminish too. Many libraries in the US are dumping old collections. A few internet terminals are cheaper than new hardbound volumes or staff. Reading has declined. In 1922, when W. Lippmann wrote Public Opinion, newspapers and public lectures were the primary means of political information. Now they barely rank at all.
Reading has declined? I buy most of the books I read (from charity shops) and I do most of my non-fiction reading and research- news, and what I would have used a dictionary/encyclopedia for- on the web. I very rarely use libraries. Furthermore, maybe many Americans are wealthy enough to go and buy books now.
Returning to th piece by Keith Watenpaugh quoted by Juan Cole, it is not certain whether these books are being destroyed, and thus truly purged, or whether they will be kept in the Baath Party Special Collection, where they can be studied by future academics. Then again, maybe reading is declining in Iraq and they don’t read anymore.