• Owner Ali Hussein waits for customers at his bookshop named Al Nahda Al Arabiya Library, or Arab Renaissance Library, in central Baghdad. All photos: EPA
    Owner Ali Hussein waits for customers at his bookshop named Al Nahda Al Arabiya Library, or Arab Renaissance Library, in central Baghdad. All photos: EPA
  • The al-Nahda al-Arabiya library (Arab Renaissance Library) in central Baghdad, Iraq, 09 November 2022. The al-Nahda al-Arabiya library is one of the oldest bookstores in Iraq. It was established in 1966, and it is still resisting the danger of extinction due to the wide use of the internet and electronic libraries, in addition to the low demand of people to buy books. Ali Hussein, the owner of the library said that 'people no longer read books because of their dependence on the internet and social media sites, and the cost of printing and distributing books has become very expensive due to the economic situation in the country, therefore, many of the old libraries in Baghdad have closed their doors and perished'. EPA / AHMED JALIL
    The al-Nahda al-Arabiya library (Arab Renaissance Library) in central Baghdad, Iraq, 09 November 2022. The al-Nahda al-Arabiya library is one of the oldest bookstores in Iraq. It was established in 1966, and it is still resisting the danger of extinction due to the wide use of the internet and electronic libraries, in addition to the low demand of people to buy books. Ali Hussein, the owner of the library said that 'people no longer read books because of their dependence on the internet and social media sites, and the cost of printing and distributing books has become very expensive due to the economic situation in the country, therefore, many of the old libraries in Baghdad have closed their doors and perished'. EPA / AHMED JALIL
  • Ali Hussein says 'people no longer read books because of their dependence on the internet and social media sites, and the cost of printing and distributing books has become very expensive due to the economic situation in the country, therefore, many of the old libraries in Baghdad have closed'.
    Ali Hussein says 'people no longer read books because of their dependence on the internet and social media sites, and the cost of printing and distributing books has become very expensive due to the economic situation in the country, therefore, many of the old libraries in Baghdad have closed'.
  • A customer checks books in the shop.
    A customer checks books in the shop.
  • The bookshop was established in 1966, but it has so far withstood the threat of extinction.
    The bookshop was established in 1966, but it has so far withstood the threat of extinction.

MENA

Iraq

The Arab Renaissance bookshop in Baghdad - in pictures

Al Nahda Al Arabiya was established in 1966 and has survived while many others have closed

The National

November 11, 2022

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Updated: November 11, 2022, 1:31 PM
IraqLiterature