How did the House of Wisdom in Baghdad preserve and translate older works?

It is a common misconception that the House of Wisdom (Bayt al-Hikmah) served as the primary center for the translation of Greek literature into Arabic. While it is often mythologized as an academy at the heart of this movement, historical evidence suggests that major translation activities, including those involving Greek and Syriac works, largely took place elsewhere in Baghdad.1

The House of Wisdom functioned primarily as a royal library and an arm of the Abbasid bureaucracy, modeled on earlier Sasanian practices of maintaining a "treasury" of books. Its role in preservation and translation included:1

• Staffing: The library employed copyists and bookbinders to reproduce existing works, ensuring the preservation of its collection.1
• Persian Translation: It facilitated some translation activity, primarily converting Middle Persian chronicles and astrological histories into Arabic.1
• Collection: The library housed texts on religion, dynastic history, and scientific knowledge, serving as a symbol of imperial prestige and continuity.1

While the library was a significant cultural institution, the broader, more intensive translation of Greek scientific and philosophical texts was supported by various patrons, including the caliphs and wealthy individuals like the Banū Mūsā brothers, rather than being centralized solely within the House of Wisdom.12