Adonis Diaries

On Saturday, February 29, the Cultural Foundation of Phares Zogbi library invited its readers to attend a formal re-opening ceremony.

Last year, St. Joseph University delayed appointing a manager to the library after Rita Zogbi opened her own business “Baby Steps“.

The faculty of law and political sciences at the University of Saint-Joseph announced the re-opening of the library of the Cultural Foundation of Phares Zoghbi.

Located in Kornet Chehwan, this former private library, turned over to be the university to become a public library, has a multi-disciplinary resources of over 50,000 manuscripts, mostly in French and Arabic.

The library is opened every day (Monday to Friday) from 8:30 to 4 pm and from 9 to 3 pm on Saturday. And Maha is the new administrator.

The inauguration started at 11 am and a delicious buffet was served after 3 people talked for the audience, mostly women and representative of the various local schools (responsible for their respective libraries and “research”).  I was practically the only male, besides the chairman of the university.

Maitre Zoghbi, over 96 of age and on a wheel chair, made the honor of “walking”  in.  In a couple of days was his birthday, and a birthday cake was presented to him.

Maitre Phares was feeling emotional, and for every figure he “thought” was familiar he would hide his face and cry bitterly.

The speakers learned to talk to Maitre Zoghbi instead of facing the audience: Otherwise, Phares would have a loud chat with his neighbor: He is hard of hearing.

Last year, Sherifeh opened one morning (every 2 Saturdays) so that we could return and borrow books.

In the inauguration photo below, I am at the far left side. Phares Zoghbi is in the center. On his right is the chairman of the university and on his left the Dean of the Law School.

Note: More details https://adonis49.wordpress.com/2009/05/02/the-maitre-phares-library/