Those who followed the postings on this blog late last year regarding SImmons’ training program for Iraqi librarians may be interested in a recent posting on the website of the Society of Archivists in the United Kingdom. Saad Eskander, Director of the Iraqi National Archives and Library, has published his diary online. It makes for chilling reading:
My secretary, Um Haitham, was a little horrified, as the two bombs landed 70 meters away from her car. Like other people, she talked about the incident for two minutes and then resumed her daily tasks.
I heard another explosion 50 minutes later. The exchange of fire continued for one hour and thirty minutes.
Nadia, a librarian who works at the Computer Department, did not show up. I was told that her father was injured yesterday. He had a bullet removed from his leg.
I met the head of the Bibliography Department, Nadhal, and her supervisor, Jamal, to talk about their works.
To read the rest, follow this link.