Five Libraries Around The World That Are Open Despite The Odds

Kabul Public Library. Photograph: Carol Mitchell

The Guardian: Five libraries around the world that are open despite the odds

On World Book Day, a look at libraries from Egypt to Dominica that have remained open despite death threats, extreme weather and terrorism

The Vanished Library in Cairo, Egypt

A converted villa in an affluent district of south Cairo is home to the Bardo Clubhouse, a buzzing cultural hub with a library on its ground floor. Founded by passionate book lover Omar Amin, who left his job in marketing in November to dedicate himself to the library full time, the multilingual collection is made up of donations, including a first edition Harry Potter and a 1927 edition of Kafka’s Amerika which Amin found while rummaging through the Egyptian capital’s book markets.

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Bookyards editor: It is a miracle that these libraries are still open.