US first lady a bookworm
2001-06-13 19:00
Brussels - As a former librarian, books just had to be on the agenda of US first lady Laura Bush's first official tour of Europe.
On the second day of the tour, Mrs. Bush couldn't wait to visit the late baroque era reading-room of Belgium's oldest university, in Leuven.
With bells chiming the US national anthem, Mrs. Bush took an immediate liking to the library, which was filled with students preparing for final exams. "It is so beautiful," the first lady told rector Andre Oosterlinck, who guided her through the library's repository to look at ancient manuscripts and atlases. "I am myself a librarian, so I love libraries in particular," she told Oosterlinck. The library was established in 1725 and houses a total of 4.2 million books.
Mrs. Bush added another when she gave Oosterlinck a book on the history of the White House.
The library has close links to the United States, as many US universities and colleges helped fund its reconstruction after being burned down during the last two World Wars.
Oosterlinck said the university continues its strong bonds with the United States as American students make up the third largest group of international students attending the 600 year-old school. Some 26 000 students currently attend the university.
After her visit to Leuven, Mrs. Bush was expected to visit with King Albert II and Queen Paola, at the royal palace in Laken, where she will tour the royal family's private greenhouses. - Sapa-AP
- SAPA