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Dear all, Sorry for that mistake. Of course it should read: "The following mess of a unformatted text is .." and not as I wrote: "The following unformatted mess of a text is ..." While .... this leads me to re-think the text quality all over again .... But that's for later. Best Andreas ----- Original Message ----- From: "AS-ILAS" <AS-ILAS@gmx.de> To: "casi" <casi-discuss@lists.casi.org.uk> Sent: Sonntag, 10. August 2003 12:46 Subject: [casi] Assessment of Iraqi cultural heritage Libraries and Archives Hi all, The following unformatted mess of a text is a simple haul-over from a pdf doc. For the original (formatted) doc please visit the below URL. Best Andreas ----------------------- http://ifla.org/VI/4/admin/iraq2407.htm Assessment of Iraqi cultural heritage Libraries and Archives (with pics at the above given URL) June 27-July 6, 2003 Report by: Jean-Marie Arnoult Inspecteur général des bibliothèques Paris, France 1 IRAQ UNESCO Contract 26 00 00 526A Assessment of Iraqi cultural heritage Libraries and archives June 27-July 6, 2003 Jean-Marie ARNOULT Inspecteur général des bibliothèques Paris, France SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS (a) General recommendations 1. Architectural reconstruction Reconstructions have from now on to be contemplated. The file is enormous but it may be an opportunity to reconsider the architectural programmes of libraries in order to make them more functional regarding contemporary necessities. Therefore, existing buildings which were not meant to receive activities with particular constraints or may have been recently weakened must not be reused. However, owing to the time needed to build up projects (dealing with the location, the architectural programmes, the signing of contracts and the building itself), it is strongly advised to find as soon as possible temporary buildings likely to receive the collections that have been scattered into unsuitable buildings in order to treat them (cleaning, inventories), and receive the personnels who have to be motivated again and go back to work. 2. Reconstruction of collections It means a reconstruction rather than a mere reconstitution that would only involve the replacing piece by piece of the destroyed books. Because of over a decade of considerable budgetary restrictions and the embargo that blindly reduced the opportunities of acquisition, Iraqi libraries are doubly wrecked. As to patrimonial collections (National Library and National Archives) their reconstitution through the reproduction of destroyed documents will imply an international co-operation with a lot of countries, mainly the countries that had historical links with Iraq. 3. "Requalification" of personnels The reconstruction of libraries implies a necessary requalification of professionals through the setting of a temporary system of training until it is possible to create a basic teaching with diplomas for book, documentation or archive workers and to restructure careers. All the fields of librarianship and records management have to be taken into account through professional training - locally thanks to local and regional professionals, - abroad for the training of trainers.?2 The following fields have to be privileged : preventive conservation, cataloguing, bibliographic research, computerisation, new technologies of information, public libraries including libraries for children too. 4. Administrative and legislative reorganisation. It is most important that such services and their personnels should be part of an administrative and financial logic so as to insure their efficient working, their investments and the everlastingness of their objectives towards the population of a democratic country. (b) Specific recommendations 1. Baghdad, Centre for manuscripts 1. As far as the situation is not secured, the return of the collection to Baghdad is not desirable. 2. It is not desirable to foresee the reinstallation of the collection in the previous premises as far as they have not been restored correctly to give acceptable conditions of conservation. 3. It is highly recommended, in the present phase, to prepare a preventive conservation programme (mainly cleaning and boxing). 4. Restoration and digitisation programmes are not only depending on acquisition of equipment but also on coherent objectives and qualification of technicians. This supposes a reflection on patrimony policy with other collections and libraries, and with the national Museum for common equipment and training of technicians. 5. Training and qualification of technicians is an essential problem, the same as before the war. 2. Baghdad, National Library 1. Make the collections secure in the different locations where they are now. 2. In the mosque, improve conditions of storage : install a ventilation system in the room, supplied with a generator, provide appropriate treatments to avoid insects and rodents in the store, provide efficient extinguishers. 3. The installation of the National Library in existing buildings is acceptable for a short period only, to give time to gather the dispersed collections, start cleaning and inventories, to motivate employees and give them sense of responsibilities. 4. Construction of a new building is an absolute emergency measure in a medium term, but it is necessary to already prepare the architectural programme. 5. The work of inventory of collections is very urgent ; it will determine the programme of acquisitions to reconstitute destroyed collections. 6. The professional "requalification" is an important element in the strategy in a short term. We suggest to organise urgently local training in the different fields of librarianship, including conservation (preventive conservation). 7. In any case, it is totally useless to "sanctuarise" the National Library : the most important now is to save what is remaining in the different rooms and try to clean and keep it cautiously for later identification and reuse. 3. Baghdad, National Archives 1. Make the collections secure in the different locations where they are now. 2. In the mosque, improve conditions of storage as indicated for the National Library collections (Recommendation 2). 3. Identify and attribute urgently a safe and secure new building to gather the dispersed collections.?3 4. It is urgent to start the inventory of the remaining collections to replace lost inventories and catalogues. 5. Start cleaning and boxing of remaining collections in a first phase of preventive conservation programme. 6. Start a programme for reorganisation of Iraqi archives, to collect and save what can be saved in the ministries and administrations, and try to reconstitute lost collections. 7. Engage work to prepare construction of a new building, distinct of the National Library building. [ .... ] _______________________________________________ Sent via the discussion list of the Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq. To unsubscribe, visit http://lists.casi.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/casi-discuss To contact the list manager, email casi-discuss-admin@lists.casi.org.uk All postings are archived on CASI's website: http://www.casi.org.uk