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Wealth of information up in smoke
Published on: 8/11/2009.
ABOUT $2.5 MILLION in books and research material donated by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)
to the Israel Lovell Foundation went up in smoke just after midnight yesterday.
A pensive Trevor Prescod, director of the foundation, told the DAILY NATION there was no way of replacing the collection of books which were stored in a block near the St Giles Nursery School compound, My Lord's Hill, St Michael. The books were not insured.
The entire block was ravaged by the fire.
Members of the Barbados Fire Service responded to the 12:58 a.m. call but had to return again in the afternoon after it reignited.
Prescod said he was not sure if the fire was a result of arson since police and fire officials were still investigating.
"It is a very painful observation. It is a real fundamental blow to the work we are doing," he said.
The material, which included Caribbean literature, research and documentaries on leaders from the United States, Britain, Europe and Africa, was given to the foundation after the BBC changed over to an electronic system. They were donated about two or three years ago.
"They were offering the books to one of the Caribbean islands. A Barbadian who is the editor of the Financial Times in London, Hal Austin, negotiated with the BBC and they offered these books to Barbados through the Israel Lovell Foundation.
"We took responsibility for setting up a library. There were thousands of volumes of research material, mainly material for academic research.
"In this collection, you will find all sorts of disciplines, some that are probably not that well researched in Barbados and the Caribbean.
"We were looking to purchase some containers to set up a public library because the donors felt they could've been a tremendous contribution to the development of Barbados in relation to education and other forms of development," said Prescod.
Fortunately, not all of the books were kept at scene of the fire - 8 000 copies are still stored at the foundation. (MR)
7 comment found!
: 8/11/2009
Although this does not look good, smell good or taste good, please don't speculate. it's a wait and see as far as the investigation is concerned. What a great loss of good resources that many benefitted and should have continued to benefit from. Retired CS
Illiteracy : 8/11/2009
Let us hope that this was not a deliberate act. I have an issue with anyone who willfully destroys books. That person/s would have to be called illiterate. Books hold a potential wealth of knowledge. You can hold more of a claim to education by extensive reading than anyone who holds a degree and has not dedicated much time for reading books. Reading teaches you many ways to express yourself correctly, then there is no need for the poor choice in vocabulary exhibited by many persons today. You can "travel" just by immersing yourself in some books. If someone has spitefully done this then they need to be punished. Personally I would not lend even my sister my treasured books from school days as she tends to "dog-ear" them.
: 8/11/2009
Please tell me how insurance would have helped. How does insurance replace a document that has been destroyed.This is a tragic lost.What constitutes a proper place. A fire proof building. Is the public library fire proof.This is not "ridiculous" this is sad. "Disgusting" put aside your personal bias and see that this is a lost to the many University and hign school students that use this for research. Fortunately I know that your position does not reflect the general public.
Dumb : 8/11/2009
Someone should be held accountable. Why request these material if there is no secure place to store it? Until individuals are held accountable, we will see these negligent behavior, not only in this instance but throughout the society.
Wealth of information up in smoke : 8/11/2009
I hope somebody has not burnt this library on purpose - they would be fools. They are shooting themsleves in the foot. History is about overcoming the pain of the past and provides the evidence for a fairer future. If a culture forgets its past it no longer knows why it can progress to better days, or else it will be manipulated by those who only serve themselves.
books : 8/11/2009
You would think the somebody in that organization would have enough sense at least to insure the collection!!!! Three years and still no proper place to display them...why have them then??? How long will it take??? Rediculous!!!!!!!!!
This is the same reason I said our CBC : 8/11/2009
This is the same reason that I said our own CBC should 'crack the seal' on their vault other paraphernalia and sell copies... For example: Why not sell a CD box-set of Crop Over from since the CBC started video taping? Why not show features from over the years on station personalities, or pieces on countries around the world.
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