Document (#38367)

Author

Olesen-Bagneux, O.

Title

¬The Memory Library : how the library in hellenistic Alexandria worked

Source

Knowledge organization. 41(2014) no.1, S.3-13

Year

2014

Abstract

For millennia the famous library in Hellenistic Alexandria has been praised as an epicenter of enlightenment and wisdom. And yet, a question still seems unanswered: how was its literature classified and retrieved? It is a subject that has been given surprisingly little attention by the field of library-and-information science -- indeed, by scholarship in general. Furthermore, a certain way of thinking has influenced the few answers that have so far been attempted. It is as if the scholars of our era have tried to identify the modern, physical library in the Hellenistic library in Alexandria. But such an approach is biased in a basic way: It simply does not consider the impact of the cultural and intellectual contex t of the library. This article differs fundamentally, because I reject the notion that the library was like those of today. Accordingly, an entirely new way of understanding how the library actually worked, in terms of classification and retrieval processes is presented. The key element is to understand the library both as a physical structure and as a structure in the memory of the Alexandrian scholars. In this article, these structures are put together so as to propose a new interpretation of the library.

Content

Vgl.: http://www.ergon-verlag.de/isko_ko/downloads/ko_41_2014_1_a.pdf.

Location

Alexandria

Similar documents (content)

1. Somers, J.: Torching the modern-day library of Alexandria : somewhere at Google there is a database containing 25 million books and nobody is allowed to read them. (2017) 0.12

   0.11593232 = sum of:
     0.11593232 = product of:
       0.48305136 = sum of:
         0.011927816 = weight(abstract_txt:that in 3608) [ClassicSimilarity], result of:
           0.011927816 = score(doc=3608,freq=6.0), product of:
             0.04384215 = queryWeight, product of:
               1.0324956 = boost
               2.3694751 = idf(docFreq=11241, maxDocs=44218)
               0.017920557 = queryNorm
             0.27206275 = fieldWeight in 3608, product of:
               2.4494898 = tf(freq=6.0), with freq of:
                 6.0 = termFreq=6.0
               2.3694751 = idf(docFreq=11241, maxDocs=44218)
               0.046875 = fieldNorm(doc=3608)
         0.10853926 = weight(abstract_txt:millennia in 3608) [ClassicSimilarity], result of:
           0.10853926 = score(doc=3608,freq=1.0), product of:
             0.24076083 = queryWeight, product of:
               1.3969297 = boost
               9.617446 = idf(docFreq=7, maxDocs=44218)
               0.017920557 = queryNorm
             0.45081776 = fieldWeight in 3608, product of:
               1.0 = tf(freq=1.0), with freq of:
                 1.0 = termFreq=1.0
               9.617446 = idf(docFreq=7, maxDocs=44218)
               0.046875 = fieldNorm(doc=3608)
         0.030015362 = weight(abstract_txt:been in 3608) [ClassicSimilarity], result of:
           0.030015362 = score(doc=3608,freq=3.0), product of:
             0.102193594 = queryWeight, product of:
               1.5763553 = boost
               3.617579 = idf(docFreq=3226, maxDocs=44218)
               0.017920557 = queryNorm
             0.2937108 = fieldWeight in 3608, product of:
               1.7320508 = tf(freq=3.0), with freq of:
                 3.0 = termFreq=3.0
               3.617579 = idf(docFreq=3226, maxDocs=44218)
               0.046875 = fieldNorm(doc=3608)
         0.04747119 = weight(abstract_txt:scholars in 3608) [ClassicSimilarity], result of:
           0.04747119 = score(doc=3608,freq=1.0), product of:
             0.17477985 = queryWeight, product of:
               1.6832256 = boost
               5.794254 = idf(docFreq=365, maxDocs=44218)
               0.017920557 = queryNorm
             0.27160564 = fieldWeight in 3608, product of:
               1.0 = tf(freq=1.0), with freq of:
                 1.0 = termFreq=1.0
               5.794254 = idf(docFreq=365, maxDocs=44218)
               0.046875 = fieldNorm(doc=3608)
         0.18797599 = weight(abstract_txt:alexandria in 3608) [ClassicSimilarity], result of:
           0.18797599 = score(doc=3608,freq=1.0), product of:
             0.500768 = queryWeight, product of:
               3.4894788 = boost
               8.008008 = idf(docFreq=39, maxDocs=44218)
               0.017920557 = queryNorm
             0.3753754 = fieldWeight in 3608, product of:
               1.0 = tf(freq=1.0), with freq of:
                 1.0 = termFreq=1.0
               8.008008 = idf(docFreq=39, maxDocs=44218)
               0.046875 = fieldNorm(doc=3608)
         0.09712174 = weight(abstract_txt:library in 3608) [ClassicSimilarity], result of:
           0.09712174 = score(doc=3608,freq=5.0), product of:
             0.29076788 = queryWeight, product of:
               5.091564 = boost
               3.1867187 = idf(docFreq=4964, maxDocs=44218)
               0.017920557 = queryNorm
             0.3340181 = fieldWeight in 3608, product of:
               2.236068 = tf(freq=5.0), with freq of:
                 5.0 = termFreq=5.0
               3.1867187 = idf(docFreq=4964, maxDocs=44218)
               0.046875 = fieldNorm(doc=3608)
       0.24 = coord(6/25)
   

2. Wright, A.: Cataloging the world : Paul Otlet and the birth of the information age (2014) 0.09

   0.091840096 = sum of:
     0.091840096 = product of:
       0.38266706 = sum of:
         0.013385003 = weight(abstract_txt:that in 2788) [ClassicSimilarity], result of:
           0.013385003 = score(doc=2788,freq=17.0), product of:
             0.04384215 = queryWeight, product of:
               1.0324956 = boost
               2.3694751 = idf(docFreq=11241, maxDocs=44218)
               0.017920557 = queryNorm
             0.30529988 = fieldWeight in 2788, product of:
               4.1231055 = tf(freq=17.0), with freq of:
                 17.0 = termFreq=17.0
               2.3694751 = idf(docFreq=11241, maxDocs=44218)
               0.03125 = fieldNorm(doc=2788)
         0.07235951 = weight(abstract_txt:enlightenment in 2788) [ClassicSimilarity], result of:
           0.07235951 = score(doc=2788,freq=1.0), product of:
             0.24076083 = queryWeight, product of:
               1.3969297 = boost
               9.617446 = idf(docFreq=7, maxDocs=44218)
               0.017920557 = queryNorm
             0.3005452 = fieldWeight in 2788, product of:
               1.0 = tf(freq=1.0), with freq of:
                 1.0 = termFreq=1.0
               9.617446 = idf(docFreq=7, maxDocs=44218)
               0.03125 = fieldNorm(doc=2788)
         0.016338294 = weight(abstract_txt:been in 2788) [ClassicSimilarity], result of:
           0.016338294 = score(doc=2788,freq=2.0), product of:
             0.102193594 = queryWeight, product of:
               1.5763553 = boost
               3.617579 = idf(docFreq=3226, maxDocs=44218)
               0.017920557 = queryNorm
             0.15987591 = fieldWeight in 2788, product of:
               1.4142135 = tf(freq=2.0), with freq of:
                 2.0 = termFreq=2.0
               3.617579 = idf(docFreq=3226, maxDocs=44218)
               0.03125 = fieldNorm(doc=2788)
         0.062408693 = weight(abstract_txt:worked in 2788) [ClassicSimilarity], result of:
           0.062408693 = score(doc=2788,freq=1.0), product of:
             0.27484983 = queryWeight, product of:
               2.110787 = boost
               7.2660704 = idf(docFreq=83, maxDocs=44218)
               0.017920557 = queryNorm
             0.2270647 = fieldWeight in 2788, product of:
               1.0 = tf(freq=1.0), with freq of:
                 1.0 = termFreq=1.0
               7.2660704 = idf(docFreq=83, maxDocs=44218)
               0.03125 = fieldNorm(doc=2788)
         0.17722544 = weight(abstract_txt:alexandria in 2788) [ClassicSimilarity], result of:
           0.17722544 = score(doc=2788,freq=2.0), product of:
             0.500768 = queryWeight, product of:
               3.4894788 = boost
               8.008008 = idf(docFreq=39, maxDocs=44218)
               0.017920557 = queryNorm
             0.3539073 = fieldWeight in 2788, product of:
               1.4142135 = tf(freq=2.0), with freq of:
                 2.0 = termFreq=2.0
               8.008008 = idf(docFreq=39, maxDocs=44218)
               0.03125 = fieldNorm(doc=2788)
         0.040950116 = weight(abstract_txt:library in 2788) [ClassicSimilarity], result of:
           0.040950116 = score(doc=2788,freq=2.0), product of:
             0.29076788 = queryWeight, product of:
               5.091564 = boost
               3.1867187 = idf(docFreq=4964, maxDocs=44218)
               0.017920557 = queryNorm
             0.14083439 = fieldWeight in 2788, product of:
               1.4142135 = tf(freq=2.0), with freq of:
                 2.0 = termFreq=2.0
               3.1867187 = idf(docFreq=4964, maxDocs=44218)
               0.03125 = fieldNorm(doc=2788)
       0.24 = coord(6/25)
   

3. Rimmer, J.; Warwick, C.; Blandford, A.; Gow, J.; Buchanan, G.: ¬An examination of the physical and the digital qualities of humanities research (2008) 0.09

   0.09045495 = sum of:
     0.09045495 = product of:
       0.45227474 = sum of:
         0.009182037 = weight(abstract_txt:that in 2098) [ClassicSimilarity], result of:
           0.009182037 = score(doc=2098,freq=2.0), product of:
             0.04384215 = queryWeight, product of:
               1.0324956 = boost
               2.3694751 = idf(docFreq=11241, maxDocs=44218)
               0.017920557 = queryNorm
             0.20943399 = fieldWeight in 2098, product of:
               1.4142135 = tf(freq=2.0), with freq of:
                 2.0 = termFreq=2.0
               2.3694751 = idf(docFreq=11241, maxDocs=44218)
               0.0625 = fieldNorm(doc=2098)
         0.14686255 = weight(abstract_txt:physical in 2098) [ClassicSimilarity], result of:
           0.14686255 = score(doc=2098,freq=6.0), product of:
             0.16857858 = queryWeight, product of:
               1.6530951 = boost
               5.690534 = idf(docFreq=405, maxDocs=44218)
               0.017920557 = queryNorm
             0.8711816 = fieldWeight in 2098, product of:
               2.4494898 = tf(freq=6.0), with freq of:
                 6.0 = termFreq=6.0
               5.690534 = idf(docFreq=405, maxDocs=44218)
               0.0625 = fieldNorm(doc=2098)
         0.08951254 = weight(abstract_txt:scholars in 2098) [ClassicSimilarity], result of:
           0.08951254 = score(doc=2098,freq=2.0), product of:
             0.17477985 = queryWeight, product of:
               1.6832256 = boost
               5.794254 = idf(docFreq=365, maxDocs=44218)
               0.017920557 = queryNorm
             0.5121445 = fieldWeight in 2098, product of:
               1.4142135 = tf(freq=2.0), with freq of:
                 2.0 = termFreq=2.0
               5.794254 = idf(docFreq=365, maxDocs=44218)
               0.0625 = fieldNorm(doc=2098)
         0.124817386 = weight(abstract_txt:worked in 2098) [ClassicSimilarity], result of:
           0.124817386 = score(doc=2098,freq=1.0), product of:
             0.27484983 = queryWeight, product of:
               2.110787 = boost
               7.2660704 = idf(docFreq=83, maxDocs=44218)
               0.017920557 = queryNorm
             0.4541294 = fieldWeight in 2098, product of:
               1.0 = tf(freq=1.0), with freq of:
                 1.0 = termFreq=1.0
               7.2660704 = idf(docFreq=83, maxDocs=44218)
               0.0625 = fieldNorm(doc=2098)
         0.08190023 = weight(abstract_txt:library in 2098) [ClassicSimilarity], result of:
           0.08190023 = score(doc=2098,freq=2.0), product of:
             0.29076788 = queryWeight, product of:
               5.091564 = boost
               3.1867187 = idf(docFreq=4964, maxDocs=44218)
               0.017920557 = queryNorm
             0.28166878 = fieldWeight in 2098, product of:
               1.4142135 = tf(freq=2.0), with freq of:
                 2.0 = termFreq=2.0
               3.1867187 = idf(docFreq=4964, maxDocs=44218)
               0.0625 = fieldNorm(doc=2098)
       0.2 = coord(5/25)
   

4. Sturges, P.; Gastinger, A.: Information literacy as a human right (2010) 0.09

   0.08661397 = sum of:
     0.08661397 = product of:
       0.43306983 = sum of:
         0.009182037 = weight(abstract_txt:that in 5078) [ClassicSimilarity], result of:
           0.009182037 = score(doc=5078,freq=2.0), product of:
             0.04384215 = queryWeight, product of:
               1.0324956 = boost
               2.3694751 = idf(docFreq=11241, maxDocs=44218)
               0.017920557 = queryNorm
             0.20943399 = fieldWeight in 5078, product of:
               1.4142135 = tf(freq=2.0), with freq of:
                 2.0 = termFreq=2.0
               2.3694751 = idf(docFreq=11241, maxDocs=44218)
               0.0625 = fieldNorm(doc=5078)
         0.025329929 = weight(abstract_txt:article in 5078) [ClassicSimilarity], result of:
           0.025329929 = score(doc=5078,freq=2.0), product of:
             0.075334065 = queryWeight, product of:
               1.1050766 = boost
               3.8040617 = idf(docFreq=2677, maxDocs=44218)
               0.017920557 = queryNorm
             0.33623472 = fieldWeight in 5078, product of:
               1.4142135 = tf(freq=2.0), with freq of:
                 2.0 = termFreq=2.0
               3.8040617 = idf(docFreq=2677, maxDocs=44218)
               0.0625 = fieldNorm(doc=5078)
         0.023105837 = weight(abstract_txt:been in 5078) [ClassicSimilarity], result of:
           0.023105837 = score(doc=5078,freq=1.0), product of:
             0.102193594 = queryWeight, product of:
               1.5763553 = boost
               3.617579 = idf(docFreq=3226, maxDocs=44218)
               0.017920557 = queryNorm
             0.22609869 = fieldWeight in 5078, product of:
               1.0 = tf(freq=1.0), with freq of:
                 1.0 = termFreq=1.0
               3.617579 = idf(docFreq=3226, maxDocs=44218)
               0.0625 = fieldNorm(doc=5078)
         0.124817386 = weight(abstract_txt:worked in 5078) [ClassicSimilarity], result of:
           0.124817386 = score(doc=5078,freq=1.0), product of:
             0.27484983 = queryWeight, product of:
               2.110787 = boost
               7.2660704 = idf(docFreq=83, maxDocs=44218)
               0.017920557 = queryNorm
             0.4541294 = fieldWeight in 5078, product of:
               1.0 = tf(freq=1.0), with freq of:
                 1.0 = termFreq=1.0
               7.2660704 = idf(docFreq=83, maxDocs=44218)
               0.0625 = fieldNorm(doc=5078)
         0.25063464 = weight(abstract_txt:alexandria in 5078) [ClassicSimilarity], result of:
           0.25063464 = score(doc=5078,freq=1.0), product of:
             0.500768 = queryWeight, product of:
               3.4894788 = boost
               8.008008 = idf(docFreq=39, maxDocs=44218)
               0.017920557 = queryNorm
             0.5005005 = fieldWeight in 5078, product of:
               1.0 = tf(freq=1.0), with freq of:
                 1.0 = termFreq=1.0
               8.008008 = idf(docFreq=39, maxDocs=44218)
               0.0625 = fieldNorm(doc=5078)
       0.2 = coord(5/25)
   

5. Sykes, J.: Making solid business decisions through intelligent indexing taxonomies : a white paper prepared for Factiva, Factiva, a Dow Jones and Reuters Company (2003) 0.08

   0.07851264 = sum of:
     0.07851264 = product of:
       0.327136 = sum of:
         0.011927816 = weight(abstract_txt:that in 721) [ClassicSimilarity], result of:
           0.011927816 = score(doc=721,freq=6.0), product of:
             0.04384215 = queryWeight, product of:
               1.0324956 = boost
               2.3694751 = idf(docFreq=11241, maxDocs=44218)
               0.017920557 = queryNorm
             0.27206275 = fieldWeight in 721, product of:
               2.4494898 = tf(freq=6.0), with freq of:
                 6.0 = termFreq=6.0
               2.3694751 = idf(docFreq=11241, maxDocs=44218)
               0.046875 = fieldNorm(doc=721)
         0.018997446 = weight(abstract_txt:article in 721) [ClassicSimilarity], result of:
           0.018997446 = score(doc=721,freq=2.0), product of:
             0.075334065 = queryWeight, product of:
               1.1050766 = boost
               3.8040617 = idf(docFreq=2677, maxDocs=44218)
               0.017920557 = queryNorm
             0.25217605 = fieldWeight in 721, product of:
               1.4142135 = tf(freq=2.0), with freq of:
                 2.0 = termFreq=2.0
               3.8040617 = idf(docFreq=2677, maxDocs=44218)
               0.046875 = fieldNorm(doc=721)
         0.017329378 = weight(abstract_txt:been in 721) [ClassicSimilarity], result of:
           0.017329378 = score(doc=721,freq=1.0), product of:
             0.102193594 = queryWeight, product of:
               1.5763553 = boost
               3.617579 = idf(docFreq=3226, maxDocs=44218)
               0.017920557 = queryNorm
             0.16957402 = fieldWeight in 721, product of:
               1.0 = tf(freq=1.0), with freq of:
                 1.0 = termFreq=1.0
               3.617579 = idf(docFreq=3226, maxDocs=44218)
               0.046875 = fieldNorm(doc=721)
         0.04747119 = weight(abstract_txt:scholars in 721) [ClassicSimilarity], result of:
           0.04747119 = score(doc=721,freq=1.0), product of:
             0.17477985 = queryWeight, product of:
               1.6832256 = boost
               5.794254 = idf(docFreq=365, maxDocs=44218)
               0.017920557 = queryNorm
             0.27160564 = fieldWeight in 721, product of:
               1.0 = tf(freq=1.0), with freq of:
                 1.0 = termFreq=1.0
               5.794254 = idf(docFreq=365, maxDocs=44218)
               0.046875 = fieldNorm(doc=721)
         0.18797599 = weight(abstract_txt:alexandria in 721) [ClassicSimilarity], result of:
           0.18797599 = score(doc=721,freq=1.0), product of:
             0.500768 = queryWeight, product of:
               3.4894788 = boost
               8.008008 = idf(docFreq=39, maxDocs=44218)
               0.017920557 = queryNorm
             0.3753754 = fieldWeight in 721, product of:
               1.0 = tf(freq=1.0), with freq of:
                 1.0 = termFreq=1.0
               8.008008 = idf(docFreq=39, maxDocs=44218)
               0.046875 = fieldNorm(doc=721)
         0.04343416 = weight(abstract_txt:library in 721) [ClassicSimilarity], result of:
           0.04343416 = score(doc=721,freq=1.0), product of:
             0.29076788 = queryWeight, product of:
               5.091564 = boost
               3.1867187 = idf(docFreq=4964, maxDocs=44218)
               0.017920557 = queryNorm
             0.14937744 = fieldWeight in 721, product of:
               1.0 = tf(freq=1.0), with freq of:
                 1.0 = termFreq=1.0
               3.1867187 = idf(docFreq=4964, maxDocs=44218)
               0.046875 = fieldNorm(doc=721)
       0.24 = coord(6/25)