The Beginnings of Libraries in Antiquity | iSchool Virtual Sample Lecture

Description:
Where does the history of libraries begin? In this sample lecture, Professor Sebastian Modrow takes you back to the ancient world to explore the origins of libraries, archives, and information organization. You’ll consider how ancient societies collected, organized, preserved, and accessed information, and what we really mean when we use the word “library” to describe these early collections. From the ancient Near East and Egypt to Greece and Rome, this session traces the development of textual repositories and the ways information has shaped societies, identities, and collective memory. Along the way, you’ll get a glimpse into the interdisciplinary perspectives and conversations that shape the study of libraries and information at Syracuse University’s School of Information Studies.

About the Instructor:
Sebastian Modrow is an Assistant Professor at Syracuse University’s School of Information Studies, where he brings together his backgrounds in ancient history, libraries, archives, and cultural heritage. His research explores the connections between history, heritage, and memory, with a particular interest in literacy, information access, and the role of libraries and archives in shaping what societies remember and preserve. Before joining the iSchool faculty, Sebastian worked with Syracuse University Libraries’ Special Collections Research Center and served as coordinator of the Marcel Breuer Digital Archives project. His interdisciplinary approach invites students to consider not only how information is organized and preserved, but also who has access to it, whose stories are represented, and how information shapes our understanding of the past and present.