Secret Library in Amman

Well, I'm back in the UK now and a ton of essays await me. However, if anyone comes across this blog who's thinking about doing research in Amman, there's a large library run by the Americans that's kept a secret. I was chatting to a girl from the U.S. in Books@Cafe (which I'd highly recommend) and she told me about it.

You can't get their address off the internet (you have to phone and request it and they email it to you) and when I arrived everyone kept asking how I'd heard about them. They don't advertise and there's not even sign on the building because of "security issues".

Only the Americans would have an enormous collection full of unique books on Jordan and keep it a secret because they're so paranoid about security!

I have to say they were very helpful, so I'm not willing to spill the beans here, but if you get in touch I'll send you the details.

Only at the British Council...

Yesterday I visited the British Council in search of more resources. It's a very impressive building in the heart of Amman. In all my years traveling I am happy to say I have never had cause to visit a British Embassy... except for on one occasion in Benin where there wasn't one. In emergencies they said to go to the one in Lagos, Nigeria... yup, because Nigeria is where you really want to go if you're in trouble.

Anyway, the gentleman at the desk was very helpful and said he would go and do a search of my subject: women's political participation in Jordan. They have a small library so I was hoping there might be a find.

I had to try very hard to stifle my laughter with the list he came back with:

Women in Love by D.H. Laurence

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

and...

Cat woman!

I think he realised this wasn't what I was looking for but he kindly took me to speak to someone who works on a program that is related to my research and was very helpful. It just goes to show, you never know what's round the corner.