THE LIBRARY
Written Response and Research Question
Be sure to cite your sources, not more than 2 pages.
Most of us would agree that libraries are an essential part o f a literate society. Not only are they repositories of knowledge, but they are also a reflections of the value a society places on culture and learning.
Today we take libraries for granted. We assume that libraries have always been a part of western culture. However, that was not always the case.
This assignment asked you to research two critical periods of library history in western culture.
Research The Library of Alexandria. What was it and why was it significant to western culture? The library was destroyed several times. Look up the destruction of the library in the LATE FOURTH CENTURY C.E. Why was the library destroyed? Who was Hypatia? What happened to her? You should also address and describe the religious and cultural climate in the city at that time.
The destruction of the library at Alexandria meant the end of the library in the West. What do you think was the effect that this might have had on learning and culture?
In the Early Renaissance of the fourteenth century there was a resurgence of interest in knowledge and in the recovery of books from the past. This lead to the first collectors, especially collectors of manuscripts (this is before the invention of printing press). Two noted collectors of this period were Niccolo de’Niccoli and Cosimo de’Medici. Who were this two gentleman. Describe their relationship to art. What does their desire to collect books imply about the culture and society of that time?
