The Library: An Open Book

מהדורה באנגלית לאלבום היפהפה הספרייה: ספר פתוח, שרואה אור בהוצאת Hirmer בסיומו של מסע בן שלושה עשורים להתחדשות הספרייה הלאומית בירושלים – יצירה ספרותית־חזותית, הבוחנת באמצעות סיפורים קצרים, מאמרים, צילומים, ציורים ורומן גרפי עתידני את תפקידה המשתנה של הספרייה בעידן הדיגיטלי, כמרחב ציבורי תוסס, רוחני ונצחי.

Celebrating Herzog & de Meuron’s iconic new National Library of Israel, built together with Israeli Executive Architect Mann-Shinar, The Library: An Open Book takes the reader on a journey that transcends stone and mortar to explore the importance of libraries in our fastpaced Digital Age. The book features original short stories, paintings, photographs and comics by some of the world’s leading authors and artists. 330 pages, 200 colour illustrations.

This volume celebrates the culmination of a visionary 30-year project to renew the National Library of Israel led by Yad Hanadiv – the Rothschild Foundation: the architectural icon in the heart of Jerusalem created by Herzog & de Meuron in collaboration with Mann-Shinar. It invites readers to think of the library as a public space, as an object, a concept and a spiritual entity. The book includes original stories by leading authors from Israel and abroad, artwork by Zoya Cherkassky, photographs by three outstanding Israeli photographers and a graphic novella by Rutu Modan.

Contributors of original works including stories, essays, paintings, photographs and comics: Hannah Rothschild, Simon Sebag Montefiore, Deyan Sudjic, Ido Bruno, Haim Be’er, Dorit Rabinyan, Etgar Keret, Susan Orlean, Azar Nafisi, Haviva Pedaya, Avriel Bar Levav and Yehuda Gizbar Fenigstein, Rutu Modan, Oren Weinberg, Raquel Ukeles, Lior Zalmanson, Simon Schama, Lidia Jorge, Zoya Cherkassky, Eli Singalovski, Avishag Shaar-Yashuv and Avraham Hay. Also included are works by S.Y. Agnon, Martin Buber and Meir Shalev.