"The greatest of all Islamic libraries was Baghdad's Bayt-al-Hikmah, or House of Wisdom. Founded in about 830A.D., the House of Wisdom was a center for research and a school for translation. It was known throughout the world, and probably attracted students from Islamic territories as far away as Europe and Africa. Many scholars actually lived within the library, and they were often given free food and supplies, like paper and ink, as well as access to as many books as they wanted."

(from Maureen Sawa's "The Library Book.")

Wouldn't you like that? To have a bedroom in Widener and be given free internet and food and as many books as we wanted?