The institution was richly endowed, and magnificent buildings were erected for its use.

The king who established it began immediately to make a collection of books for the use of the members of the institution.

This was attended with great expense, as every book that was added to the collection required to be transcribed with a pen on parchment or papyrus with infinite labor and care.

Great numbers of scribes were constantly employed upon this work at the Museum.

The kings who were most interested in forming this library would seize the books that were possessed by individual scholars, or that were deposited in the various cities of their dominions, and then, causing beautiful copies of them to be made by the scribes of the Museum, they would retain the originals for the great Alexandrian library, and give the copies to the men or the cities that had been thus despoiled.