Long live the pyramids

Some of the saddest news over the weekend came from Egypt. The unrest and deaths surrounding the call for the President Hosni Mubarak to step down is bad enough but it was heart rending to hear that some priceless and irreplacable relics from Egypt's (and the worlds) past were being looted and destroyed under cover of the chaos. As both a librarian and a lover of the history, the disrespect of such actions is appalling to me. Losing items from our history, means that we lose some of the ties to the lessons that history can teach us. And to lose them in such a fashion, really just proves the point.

However, it is also heartening to hear that ordinary citizens are rallying to protect the treasures. This National Geographic news article from yesterday provides some up to date information, especially in relation to preservation of antiquities.

Egypt is a fascinating country. It has never been my first choice of a place to visit, but I have a friend who loves the place and it's history. A couple of years ago she took the opportunity and visited the country, returning with rave reviews. Along with the pictures of her on camels in the desert and horses at the pyramids were recollections of experiences with the markets, the historic sites, the food, the Nile and the people. Visiting Egypt at the moment is pretty much out of the question, but you can still indulge your passion (or interest) for things Egyptian through the Library.

A Keyword search in the catalogue produces results at both child and adult levels (71 pages of results). However you can narrow this down to:

• Digital Resources - DVD's and electronic resources available through our catalogue.
• Children's resources
• Audio-Visual
• Music

A Subject Search in the catalogue allows you to narrow your search down as well. Egyptian History is a good start for both ancient and modern history. And of course most news websites are carrying news of the on-going troubles.