[katana]

My understanding has always been that the original library was burned during Caesar's campaign in Egypt. I suppose it's possible that during the next few hundred years another was built and books / scrolls were collected only to be burned again by the muslims who invaded in in the late seventh century, but I have never heard that except here at this site.

The Arabs did have possession of many ancient texts which were translated from Greek into Arabic, carried across North Africa to the real gem in their empire, Andalusian Spain, and then translated again into Latin. This was the source of Europe's exposure to Plato's and Aristotle's writings during the late Middle Ages and the Renaissance. But the point is that during a time when any manuscript, scroll, or book was priceless the (First?) Library of Alexandria was a genuine treasure house.

[pete anderson]

...the (First?) Library of Alexandria was a genuine treasure house.

I cannot imagine how much further technological and scientific progress we could have achieved if it had not been for the Alexandria Fire.

[Destro]

This was the source of Europe's exposure to Plato's and Aristotle's writings during the late Middle Ages and the Renaissance.

That is false. The West was exposed to the classics via the refugee scholars from Constantinople when that city fell to the Turks.