The Bibliotheca Alexandrina’s (BA) Euclid Research Methods Library of Alexandria has received a donation of 2000 books on research methods from Mary Shann, Professor Emiritus at the School of Education, Boston University. Professor Shann specialises in educational assessment, research, programme development, and evaluation.
The Euclid Research Methods Library of Alexandria has behind it a fascinating tale which is detailed on its website:
“Over the past 15 years we have been working to raise the scientific glory of the Library of Alexandra to what it was 2500 years ago when Scientists like Euclid and many others built the library into the major global centre of science. Many thought this was impossible as organisations such as the NIH had budgets over 27 billion and we had little or no budget. However, as Dr Serageldin [director of the BA] has said, when you are low on money, this is when one needs to be creative. We therefore took a very different approach, and the star of science has risen at the library of Alexandria.
“Science is very broad, and 1000s of different discipline, and millions of different ideas of science. However, as we thought about this, a core to science is research methods … so we decided about two years ago to build a Euclid Research Methods Library of Alexandria.
“We spent a summer reviewing and vetting online statistics lectures, ebooks and other items. We then created the research methods library of Alexandria. This site is designed to be a one-stop shopping centre. We contacted many statistics experts for their online materials. This became larger and larger, and the biggest online library of research methods.
While doing this Mary Shann contacted us and said that she had 2000 research methods books…”
The books have been shipped to Alexandria. “We are so honoured that the leading statistical people of the world donated their books to improve statistical literacy in Arab and African countries.
“When we began this we did not think about building the largest methods library in the world. As we were collecting virtual and book materials we google researched methods libraries. It was so surprising that we could not find any library specifically dedicated to research methods. In building the Euclid Library of Alexandria we have been surprised and proud of all the scientific and statistical support we have received. The Euclid Research Methods Library of Alexandria, is now dedicated to improving the science of Arab, African and World science.”
WATANI International
20 November 2016