splendid archivist adventures today,
at the kabul public library +
the afghan national archives.
[kabul public library card catalog in dari - books available by author, title, subject]
kabul public library has significantly rebuilt since being looted during the taliban era, due in large part to the tireless efforts of abdul hamid nabizada, director general for the past 30 years. nabizada is hilarious + opinionated + truly a force of nature.
[the wonderful nabizada]
the library has no budget for purchasing materials, + the staff are paid about $60 per month by the ministry of information + culture. they are slowly building up their user base again after having to shutter the building when the talebs were in power. while the library is free, users must register + provide a letter of introduction assuring their research credentials.
[explanation of the library's complex user registration procedures]
how lovely, the children's room! + filled with donated books in many languages. they have a collection of v. rare magazines published for kids in afghanistan in the early 1970s in dari + pashto. they are actively seeking donations not only of contemporary books but also of toys + games for children who visit the library.
[kids' mag]
books and periodicals at the kabul public library are in fairly good condition, considering what the place has gone through over the years -- wars, lack of electricity, bugs, etc. nabizada explained the way they are treating their materials both to prevent and eradicate pests: they are sprinkling tobacco alongside the books! he claimed that tobacco kills the bugs inside + prevents new pests from entering them . . . and lamented the fact that he had just given me this preservation advice for free.
now, i did notice some *greenery* here in the library's park,
but i'm not sure those are tobacco buds . . . !
kabul public library even has a few bookmobiles! they go out to the neighborhoods around the city where there are no appropriate temporary rental spaces for a small library. nabizada needs popular books, dvds, and cds for this service offered to poor kabulis free of charge and with no operating budget.
[abandoned card catalog]
i wonder how we could best help them.
