For centuries, Mutanabbi Street in Baghdad has stood as a celebrated center for book lovers, symbolizing the city’s historical reputation as a haven for readers across the Arab world. Often captured in the regional adage, “Cairo writes, Beirut publishes, Baghdad reads,” the street has long been lined with stalls offering an extensive range of titles in both Arabic and English. However, in recent years, that legacy appears to be fading amid dwindling sales and shifting reading habits.

On a recent June morning, several booksellers expressed concern over the significant decline in business. Hussein Ali, a longtime vendor who has sold books on Mutanabbi Street for decades, recalled days when he would sell more than 50 copies in a single day. Now, he struggles to move even five. Ali attributes the decrease in sales largely to the rise of digital media and changing consumer preferences.

“This street used to be full of people on Fridays, the busiest day of the week,” said Ali, 70, adding that while he continues to work out of habit and to see familiar faces, he mourns what he sees as a broader cultural decline. He linked this downturn, in part, to the growing influence of social media, which he believes has impacted creativity and the public’s engagement with physical books.

Mutanabbi Street carries deep historical and cultural significance. Named after the 10th-century Iraqi poet Abu Al-Tayeb Al-Mutanabbi, it remains a unique repository of rare and diverse texts, including collections not found elsewhere. Despite recent renovations intended to revitalize the area, the street’s atmosphere is now marked by dusty volumes and signs advertising books at prices as low as one dollar, yet foot traffic is sparse.

Abdullah Abdulazim, a 26-year-old bookseller, echoed concerns about a steep drop in visitors and sales. He has turned to social media in an effort to attract customers, but noted that profits are often minimal or nonexistent. Abdulazim emphasized the importance of books to the imagination and innovation within society, lamenting the paucity of readership today.

The street has endured significant hardship over the years. Although it remained a beacon of literature through decades of conflict, Mutanabbi Street suffered a devastating suicide bombing in 2007 that claimed 30 lives and destroyed many shops. The attack marked a turning point, underscoring the fragility of this cultural landmark amid ongoing turmoil.

Some locals have adapted to the changing landscape by distributing books through alternative means. Author Hakim Al-Shammari has resorted to providing free copies of his works to government institutions in an effort to sustain literary interest. Meanwhile, frequent patrons of nearby cafes, such as Ismail Al-Bayati, continue to purchase books despite the decline in demand, driven by a lifelong passion for reading. Al-Bayati, who says he has read over 500 books, likened modern society’s reliance on the internet to an addiction, suggesting that access to digital content has supplanted traditional reading practices.

As Baghdad wrestles with these cultural shifts, the fate of Mutanabbi Street illustrates the broader challenges faced by physical bookstores in the digital age, particularly in regions marked by instability and rapid technological change.