L'Institut d’Egypte, or the Egyptian Scientific Institute, was set on fire on Saturday morning, December 17, 2011.
CAIRO: The volunteers, ranging from academic experts to appalled citizens, have spent the past days trying to salvage what’s left of some 192,000 books, journals and writings, casualties of Egypt’s latest bout of violence.
Institute d’Egypte, a research center set up by Napoleon Bonaparte during France’s invasion in the late 18th century, caught fire during clashes between protesters and Egypt’s military over the weekend. It was home to a treasure trove of writings, most notably the handwritten 24-volume Description de l’Egypte, which began during the 1798-1801 French occupation.
At least 16 truckloads with around 50,000 manuscripts, some damaged beyond repair, have been moved from the sidewalks outside the US Embassy and the American University in Cairo, both near the burned institute, to the main library, Abdel-Hady said.
This is terribly sad. But I am surprised given the amount of turmoil that more hasn't been destroyed or looted. Lets hope this puts more impetus behind digitizing such works so that they aren't as susceptible to physical destruction.
