Dr. Sohair Wastawy lectures in Athens
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Alexandria, 23 March 2005—Dr. Sohair Wastawy, Chief Librarian at the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, was invited by the Greek Library Association, in coordination with the University of Piraeus in Athens, to deliver lectures on 20 and 21 March 2005.
Wastawy’s lecture on the first day revolved around the future of libraries on the Internet, and the vital role they play toward development in societies. Her talk on the second day highlighted the history of the ancient Library of Alexandria, and shed light on the significance of the new Bibliotheca Alexandrina in disseminating knowledge and promoting dialogue and tolerance.
Wastawy is the Head of the Library Services Sector at the Bibliotheca Alexandrina. She has practiced librarianship in a number of countries including Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the USA. She began her library career at the Cairo University Library in 1975, taught librarianship in the first women’s library program in Saudi Arabia in 1983, and was the Dean of Libraries at the Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago from 1988 until 2004.