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Time's Mysteries and Miracles: Consonance with Physical and Life Sciences

, Ahmed Zewail Other Publications Center for Special Studies and Programs (CSSP)

Available in: English

In the booklet, Dr. Ahmed Zewail begins with an overview of physics in the first decades of the 20th century, with particular attention paid to the nature of time. He then discusses the history of photographing moving objects, from the first crude attempts by Eadweard Muybridge through the more refined efforts of Étienne-Jules Marey, and then into the difficulties involved in making images at femtosecond intervals.

From Matter to Life: Chemistry?!

, Jean–Marie Lehn Other Publications

Available in: English

Chemistry is the science of matter and its transformations. It provides structures endowed with properties and develops processes for the synthesis of structures. It plays a primordial role in our understanding of material phenomena, in our capability to act upon, modify, and to control them and to invent new expressions of them.

Vegetal and Mineral Memory the Future of Books

, Umberto Eco Other Publications

Available in: English

In the face of growing fear that the world is heading towards a bookless age, when electronic media will wipe out printed books and hypertexts will eliminate authors, Umberto Eco remains optimistic about the future of printed books and libraries. In order to support his optimism with credible evidence, Eco determines that there are two kinds of books: those to be read, and those to be consulted. Scanning an encyclopedia for particular information may be a tedious procedure, with reference books Eco thinks hypertexts will win the day, for it easier to look information on the net than in books. However, the case of “books to be read” is different. These are immortal, Eco believes. Nothing can ever replace the joy of having a printed in one’s hand. Vegetal memory (printed books) will not be replaced by mineral memory (electronic books).

Reflections on our Digital Future

, Ismail Serageldin Other Publications

Available in: English

The book contains 6 chapters; The Digital Libraries of Tomorrow, Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) to peer-reviewed journals. The second chapter is devoted to the Bibliotheca Alexandrina (BA Entitled Born Digital: The Rebirth of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, it was the maiden speech delivered at the Digital Library Federation (DLF) Meeting of October 2005 in Washington, DC. by Ismail Serageldin (Director of the BA). The third chapter is an address entitled From Barrier to Bridge: The Promise of Machine-Based Translation. The fourth chapter is more recent. It is based on the discussions on ICT within the Kyoto Science and Technology in Society (STS) Forum Conference in September 2005. The fifth chapter entitled Prometheus and the Internet: A Science Supercourse for the 21st Century, is co-authored with Professor Ron Laporte of Pittsburgh University, The sixth and final chapter, entitled from Knowledge to Wisdom.

Inventing our Future: Essays on Freedom, Governance and Reform in the Arab World

, Ismail Serageldin Other Publications

Available in: English

The writer has chosen to include the following four documents: \r\nThe Tides of Change: Reflections on reform in the Arab and Muslim Worlds (March 2005). The First Freedom: (September2004) Governance, Competitiveness and the Arab Future (January 2005). The Alexandria Declaration (March2004). Each of these is a very different type of document, and was written for a very different audience. Each is a stand-alone document that can be read on its own.

Science, The Culture of Living Change

, Ismail Serageldin Other Publications

Available in: English

The material in this book is part of the writers ongoing quest for the improvement of science and education in the Muslim and Arab worlds generally and in Egypt particularly. In the face of mounting currents of obscurantism, fanaticism and irrationality, it is essential that rationality, skepticism and the joy of learning are promoted. Advancing the values of science is critical if science itself is to flourish.

Annual Report 2004-2005

, Bibliotheca Alexandrina Annual Report

Available in: English - Arabic

The Annual Report covers all the events, activities, financial statements, and organizational structure of the BA during the reported period.

Colors of BioVision 2004

, Mohamed El-Faham Catalogue Center for Special Studies and Programs (CSSP)

Available in: English

An overview of the first BioVisionAlexandria that took place in 2004 that contains a short description of BioVisionAlexandria2006 conference’s main topics.

Discovery to Delivery

, Ismail Serageldin / Gabrielle J. Persley Other Publications Center for Special Studies and Programs (CSSP)

Available in: English

The overall theme of this publication reflects the exciting new discoveries in genomics and other aspects of gene technology that are finding applications in human health care, food and agriculture, and conserving biodiversity and the environment.

The World’s Libraries at Our Fingertips Through the Net

, Vinton G. Cerf Other Publications

Available in: English

In the last decade, the internet has profoundly transformed the world. At times humorous, at times visionary, but always profound, Vinton Cerf in this lecture imagines the ways our lives may continue to be affected by the Internet, and hints at the role the Bibliotheca Alexandrina might play in this ongoing adventure.

Annual Report 2002-2003

, Bibliotheca Alexandrina Annual Report

Available in: English

The Annual Report covers all the events, activities, financial statements, and organizational structure of the BA during the reported period.