# Books, Libraries and Civilisation

- Institution: Gresham College
- Taught by: Professor Edith Hall, Richard Ovenden
- Year: 2021
- Level: For everyone
- Language: English
- Subjects: History, Literature and writing
- Source: [Gresham College](https://www.gresham.ac.uk/watch-now/series/books-libraries)
- Licence: [Educational use (Gresham College's terms)](https://www.gresham.ac.uk/terms-and-conditions)
- Who can watch: Teens profiles and older (sources give no ratings; placed by Invisible Network from the source's own words)

Although Mesopotamian civilisations had assembled texts, the ancient Greeks brought the idea of the universal book collection to its near-legendary consummation in the Library of Alexandria, which edited and housed thousands of papyrus rolls on every subject and attracted brilliant scholars from all over the ancient world. But there were many other libraries, serving also as scientific laboratories, public record offices, restaurants, mausoleums and even baths. This illustrated lecture investigates their history and the continuing influence on our modern world.

## Lectures

1. [Ancient Greek and Roman Libraries](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/learn/gresham/series-books-libraries/1c3c065cb905) (YouTube)
2. [Attacks on Knowledge from Ashurbanipal to Trump](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/learn/gresham/series-books-libraries/4655e379f7d8) (YouTube)