“When they burnt our library to ground, they destroyed the heart of the city…”

Abstract

In a time of escalating international crises, with the systematic destruction of cultural heritage in conflict zones, Chloe Menown, the recipient of UKeiG’s Early Career Professional conference grant, reflects on the destruction of libraries. There must be a greater urgency to drive forward digital preservation through advanced imaging technologies and digitisation projects. She also touches on the de-professionalisation of staff in public libraries, raising how this could exacerbate the digital divide; the e-information have and have-nots.