Central Library

In accordance with the vision of openness to the local and international communities pursued by the Presidency of the University of Mosul, headed by Prof. Dr. Kossay Al-Ahmady, Mr. Sayf Al-Ashqar, Secretary-General of the University Libraries, received, in his office, Mr. Muhannad Al-Hajjiyat, Correspondent, Mosul Eye Foundation, who held a press dialogue with Mr. Sayf who talked about the Central Library since its foundation in 1967 synchronized with the University’s foundation to indicate the importance of the Central Library’s role for both the University and society. Over the decades, the Library developed to become the most important libraries in the Middle East until the day of ISIS invasion of Mosul and the crime of burning the library and its holdings included more than a million books, periodicals, rare books and manuscripts. It was a great loss not only to the University and Mosul but also to all humanity. Mr. Sayf also mentioned the efforts after the liberation to revive the Central Library with consistent cooperation and coordination between the Presidency of the University and the General Secretariat of the University Libraries on one hand and the local and international efforts on the other hand, to help the Library by introducing its tragedies to the local and international forums through the volunteer contributions from various supporters: academic figures, Mosul families and supporting institutions and organizations, including the Mosul Eye Foundation, the Prince Claus Fund, Book Aid Organization and many local and international supporters. He stressed at the same time on the predominance of the spirit of determination of the Library’s staff to continue their efforts despite all the difficulties facing the Library’s reviving. At the end of the meeting, the Secretary-General expressed the Library’s appreciation to all those who helped, and are still helping, it in the difficult times, especially the Mosul Eye Foundation. Library is for everyone, so everyone should share its reviving believing that the library with its scientific and cultural books and periodicals is the first line of resistance towards terrorism by spreading a culture of love of science, knowledge, peaceful coexistence and human rights. Terrorism is a deviant thought before it is a deviant behavior and the thought of darkness must be confronted with a thought of enlightenment. Later, the correspondent of the Mosul Eye Foundation began photographing and documenting the efforts of the library staff’s performance and duty to show the world that the Central Library will remain, like the University of Mosul and the ancient City of Mosul, a scientific, cultural and human monument in the face of evil, barbarism and backwardness.