The American Library Book Fair, 1959 US poster: A red bilingual Arabic-English poster for a book fair in Beirut, with a drawn

The American Library Book Fair (Arabic-English poster distributed in Beirut)

A red bilingual Arabic-English poster for a book fair in Beirut, with a drawn shelf of books across the middle. Lebanese and American publishers are named as presenters of books in Arabic, books in English and books for students, teachers and adults; admission is free, 11-15 May 1959. The tell is glittering-generalities: the closing slogan 'Education - Information - Recreation' attaches broad positive terms to the event.

Propaganda techniques used in this poster

Glittering generalities

Date: May 4, 1959
Period: Cold War
Made by: U.S. Information Agency (predecessor: State Department International Information and Educational Exchange Program), Propaganda Posters Distributed in Asia, Latin America and the Middle East series
Region: North America
Country: United States
Medium: Poster
Issuer type: State
Regime: Eisenhower Administration
Leader: Dwight D. Eisenhower
Audience: Foreign public
Purpose: Persuade or win support
Theme: Media and information
Event: Cold War
Source: Unidentified Source blurred: contractors, cutouts, buried disclosure
Source: U.S. National Archives (NARA), RG 306, Propaganda Posters Distributed in Asia, Latin America and the Middle East, retrieved October 3, 2026
Rights: Public domain (U.S. government work; NARA RG 306)
U.S. Information Agency / Department of State, May 4, 1959. National Archives, Record Group 306 (NAID 6948728, 306-PPB-1).

Text on the object

Original (Arabic and English) · read from the image, not independently checked

معرض الكتاب في المكتبة الأميركية
THE AMERICAN LIBRARY BOOK FAIR

دور النشر اللبنانية والأميركية
LEBANESE AND AMERICAN PUBLISHERS
present / تعرض
books in arabic / كتبا عربية
books in english / وكتبا إنكليزية
books for students, / وكتبا للطلبة
teachers / وللمعلمين
and adults / وللكبار

May 11-15, 1959
9 A.M. - 8 P.M.
شارع كليمنصو
الدخول مجانا
ADMISSION FREE
RUE CLEMENCEAU
من 11-15 أيار 1959
الساعة 9 صباحا حتى 8 مساء

ثقافة - معلومات - تسلية
EDUCATION - INFORMATION - RECREATION

English translation (machine translation by Claude, not verified by a fluent reader)

The American Library Book Fair. Lebanese and American publishers present books in Arabic, books in English, and books for students, teachers and adults. May 11-15, 1959, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Clemenceau Street. Admission free. Culture - information - entertainment / Education - Information - Recreation.

Arabic and English lines are printed in parallel; paired lines are shown with a slash. Small book spine lettering in the drawing is not transcribed.