Prague, Feb 1 (CTK) – Librarians from Czech universities have collected 282,160 crowns in support of the restoration of the war-devastated library in Mosul, Iraq, Klara Roesslerova, head of Charles University’s Faculty of Arts (FF UK) library that initiated the project, told CTK on Thursday.
The fund-raising campaign was launched by the library together with the People in Need humanitarian organisation last October and it ended in January.
The collected sum will cover new equipment for the Mosul library.
Mosul’s central library used to be one of the most significant libraries in the Middle East, keeping over one million documents including rare manuscripts and old prints. However, it was almost completely destroyed by bombing during the liberation of Mosul from IS control last year.
Originally, the FF UK librarians considered sending books to their Mosul counterparts. However, since nothing but outer walls have been left of the library buildings after the bombing, the Czechs preferred launching a fund-raising project.
Librarians from not only the FF UK but also other Czech faculties and universities contributed to it, Roesslerova said.
People in Need is now going to use the collected money to buy equipment for the Mosul library, according to a list of necessary items the Iraqis have provided to the Czechs, she said.
