Ronald Reagan understanding of history, appears to be more from Movies made from Hollywood then anything written by people who did research. Movie history tend to be what is popular, not accurate.
From the last paragraph on the Wikipedia site you cite:
Antonio Mampaso, a Spanish astrophysicist and one of Agora's scientific advisors, stated in an interview that "we know that Hypatia lived in Alexandria in the IV and V centuries CE, until her death in 415. Only three primary sources mention Hypatia of Alexandria, apart from other secondary ones". He added that none of Hypatia's work has survived but it is thought, from secondary sources, that her main fields of study and work were geometry and astronomy. Mampaso claimed that Hypatia invented the hydrometer, an instrument still in use today, and that probably her father Theon of Alexandria, together with Hypatia, invented the astrolabe. However, it is generally accepted that the astrolabe had already been invented a couple of centuries earlier, and that the instrument was known to the Greeks before the Christian era. Similarly, the hydrometer was invented before Hypatia, and already known in her time. Synesius sent Hypatia a letter describing a hydrometer, and requesting her to have one constructed for him.
Some reviewers have heavily criticized Agora for historical inaccuracies, heavy artistic licenses and perceived anti-Christian bias in the movie. Robert Barron, an American Catholic priest, writes in an article: "Hypatia was indeed a philosopher and she was indeed killed by a mob in 415, but practically everything else about the story that Gibbon and Sagan and Amenábar tell is false". Irene A. Artemi, a Dr. of Theology of the Athens University, states that "the movie - albeit seemingly not turning against the Christian religion - is in fact portraying the Christians as fundamentalist, obscurantist, ignorant and fanatic". Similarly, the atheist Armarium Magnum blog said: "Over and over again, elements are added to the story that are not in the source material: the destruction of the library, the stoning of the Jews in the theatre, Cyril condemning Hypatia's teaching because she is a woman, the heliocentric "breakthrough" and Hypatia's supposed irreligiousity."
As to the Library, I lean to it being taken by Emperor Julian around 360 ad (30 years BEFORE the destruction of the Temple, and 57 years before the death of Hapatia). Julian was the last of Constantine's family to rule (do to infighting within the family by the time he came of age he was the only male left except for Constantine's son Constantinius II).
After defeating the Germans, Julian decided to lead his army against his then aged uncle, the armies meet ready for battle, then Constantinius II died of old age and both armies declared Julian Emperor. While records from Julian himself shows he had embraced traditional Pagan beliefs before he even became Commander of the Army in Gaul, he continued to celebrate Christian Religious holiday till after he became Emperor (i.e. the Army he lead thought he was Christian not Pagan and the fight with his uncle was over who should rule NOT Christian vs Pagan).
Julian kept up Constantine capital Constantinople and wanted to expand it, for the more he expanded it the more power he could claim. As to Julian's Paganism. While he "Embraced" the old Roman Religion, he did not want a return to the every City in the Empire having its own version of what gods existed. In simple terms, he wanted something like the Christian Church, a Empire Wide Religion with a central dogma and a hierarchy like the Christian Church (i.e. he wanted the Christian Church with Christianity replaced by a centralized Pagan theology).
In many ways the reason Constantine had embraced Christianity was that it would unite the various people of the Empire into one people. Julian wanted to do the same, but based on traditional Pagan Religions. This had been attempted in the 200s and had failed do to the fact each temple in each city had its own agenda and each temple thus rejected the concept of control from above (Through would take money from the Emperor). s of the Christians in the late 200s was in many ways an attempt to get everyone to embrace the old Roman Gods (and was in step of traditional Roman rules that mixed together Roman and Greek gods AND discounted other gods). Diocletian's persecution would have been a first step in setting up a State Religion. Constantine was smart enough to accept that Christianity already had the ability to unite the Empire all he had to do as Emperor was to embrace it, which he had did.
Julian wanted to undo what Constantine had done but then redo it in the form of the old Roman religion. Thus the Pagans did not understand what Julian was doing, nor did the Christians and thus he stayed in power for it actually attacked neither and supported both.
Like Constantine Julian knew he needed gold, and unlike Constantine, he did not want to raid any more Pagan Temples. Thus Julian decided to do Emperor Septimius Severus had done in 197 AD, what Emperor Carus had done in 283, and what Emperor Galerius had done so in 299 AD, sack the Capital of Persia, Ctesiphon (Just south of present day Baghdad). Unfortunately for Julian, the Persians were waiting for him (Unlike the previous times, when the Army was busy in Afghanistan or in a major Civil War), thus his movement was opposed and he was killed in battle, the men of the Army then picked one of their own as Emperor, who declared he was a Christian.
Now, as Julian was planning his attack on Persia and loot Ctesiphon, he also wanted to strengthen the image of the Imperial Capital Constantinople (Which was considered a back water in the 300s, it did not over take Alexandria till the the early 400s and Rome till the mid to late 400s and may be even the early 500s). Thus when Riots broke out in Alexandria, Julian's Roman Governor sent in troops who then raided the temples (These were NON-Roman and Greek Temples and thus held in the same regard by Julian as they were by the Christians). From the Commander of those Troops Julian purchased a huge number of "Books". This is probably what happened to the "Library of Alexandria", Julian ended up with them and deposited then into the Imperial Library of Constantinople (Which was the center of the University of Constantinople founded by Theodosius II in the early 400s) and remained there till the sacking of Constantinople in 1204.
Now, Julian's Christian successors were NOT about to give him any credit for the move, so none was given and thus no records from Christian sources (and I did mention that in the 300s Constantinople was considered a back water). The Pagans did not mention it for they still had access to those books, but now had hated that they were now in Constantinople, a place most of them did not want to go, for they preferred Rome or Alexandria (and thus hated to make the trip). They could blame Julian, but that meant blaming the only non-Christian Emperor after Constantine, something they did not want to do. Thus no one mentioned Julian or his taking of the books.
Such treatment is not unknown even today, for example here is the monument to the US General who lead the Charge during the Second battle of Saratoga:
On the Monument is the following:
Erected 1887 By
JOHN WATTS de PEYSTER
Brev: Maj: Gen: S.N.Y.
2nd V. Pres't Saratoga Mon't Ass't'n:
In memory of
the "most brilliant soldier" of the
Continental Army
who was desperately wounded
on this spot the sally port of
BORGOYNES GREAT WESTERN REDOUBT
7th October, 1777
winning for his countrymen
the decisive battle of the
American Revolution
and for himself the rank of
Major General."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boot_Monument
Notice the General's name is NOT mentioned. It is the most decisive charge in American History, with it Burgoyne had to surrender his army. When the message hit France, an America rode to the US Ambassador, Ben Franklin. On seeing the Rider Ben Franklin asked "Have they taken Philadelphia?" The Rider said yes (For the British had) but I have great New, Burgoyne has surrendered". With that news, the French signed an Alliance with the US and went to war with Britain. Britain gave up all hopes of retaking America and moved its Army South hoping to hold on to something and that lead to Yorktown.
Why is that General's name NOT on a monument? The British hate him for he lost them all hope of taking over America. The American hate him for what he did late, for his name was Benedict Arnold.
I bring him up for it shows what people will write and not write. In the case of Arnold, what he did to win the War is forgotten, just his treason is remembered. As to the British, they never really forgave him for winning Saratoga and costing them America. Thus he was forgotten by both sides. He lived in the time of linen paper so we have reports of what he did, when he did it and why. Things that would NOT have been written in the days of Parchment and Papyrus (or if they were written down forgotten and left to rot for no one really wanted to read them). No one wants to claim Arnold today, just like no one wanted to claim Julian after he died. Thus what records we have indicate he COULD have taken them, but the records do NOT expressly says so.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historical_urban_community_sizes
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