Welcome to the Library
I went to the library today, having realized just how much I missed it. (And, admittedly, how much I needed to get out of the flat.) I walked into the library and was greeted by the old familiar cool air and clean book smells. (Which, if you are any sort of reader, you know that clean book smell differs from dirty book smell and old book smell.)
The library I go do is rather huge and cold, but I suppose you can get the with big city libraries. I think this one stands as more of a statement of architecture than a place of comfort and privacy. It works for me, but I do miss the low(er) ceiling and wood shelves of the library I used to go to.
Not to mention the wireless internet.
Still, it’s a wonderful place to work on my NaNo as well as posts for my various blogs.
There are a few things about libraries that amuse me, beyond even the occasional quirky library worker you see wandering around occasionally. As well as the occasional creepy person who likes to stare at you.
Have you ever noticed that things you do on a daily basis like opening things wrapped in paper or plastic, unzipping your coat or bag, and oodles of other things seem to be amplified one hundredfold when you’re in the library?
It’s as if some libraries – especially the library I go to – thrives on messing with people’s heads. Somehow, in the place you are supposed to be most quiet, they have managed to amplify the smallest sounds so you are suddenly the noisiest, most annoyingly loud person on the planet.
In a place where it seems like opening a bottle of water could cause the entire building to fall down, you can well and truly forget about leaving your cell phone on.
But I do like my library, for all its amplifying quirks. And I’d like to take the opportunity for you to tell me about the libraries you visit. Whether you were impressed with one on a trip or hate the layout in the one in your home town. Good, bad, funny, tell me about your library and I’ll post it on this site.
*Bonus points go to people who go to haunted libraries.
November 6th, 2007 at 2:27 pm
I’d like to collect libaries, especially in the SNAP system. So far I have only been to the three in Vacaville (1 defunct now), the solano communinty college branch, Fairfield Civic center and the slick new Cordelia branch. I could spend a whole day touring the napa branches just watching out for the drunk winery visitors on the road. I’ve been to the main San Francisco library, which is kind of crzy because no matter where you enter the building you have to go down to go up. Five floors of fun though including an outside roof reading room. I loved my elmentray school library, lots of light, but I hate the junior high and high school libraries because they had no external lights trapped in round rooms full of yellow light.
(Three co-workers at work told me I should get a degree in Library sciences. What do you think?)
November 6th, 2007 at 3:48 pm
I love libraries that have ammentities. I may be a traitor to San Jose but I have to say that my favorite is The Downtown Los Angeles Library.
Though it’s modern the building does not look modern. It has six floors to roam through, a veranda overlooking a garden, a place to grab lunch and a great california history section.
November 6th, 2007 at 8:08 pm
Rebekah - Wow! I don’t think I’ve been to that many libraries. I reckon you’re right on for a library sciences degree.
Catherine - That sounds like an excellent library. I could spend my days in a place like that.