It’s true: literacy equals education equals freedom. For instance, when the press was invented, people could read the bible for themselves for the first time, which facilitated the exposure of religious and political oppressors, the ability to develop one’s own ideas and interpretations and eventually lead to things like a thesis being nailed to a door. Books breed empowerment.
Before that, even, the oldest writing modern human beings had of was a collection of cruciform scripts that were held in a museum in Baghdad. In the beginning of the war, thes tablets were annihilated. This is among the many tragedies involved in war, but I digress.
Libraries, as we commonly think of them now (collection of media materials for public use) as opposed to originally (collection of records, usually archives, or private book collections) are under appreciated and under serious threat. When I lived in Australia, I was surprised to learn that there is no such thing as a library fine there, because libraries don’t need the money. They’re all funded by the government. Due dates? Just a suggestion that rely on a person’s politeness, not a threat of a fine. Why the United States hasn't followed suit is beyond me.
When I was at Oxford, I had a card for the Bodleian Library (which holds ancient books, and a copy of everything printed ever). Before classes started, I had to stand in front of a crowd of serious-looking officiators and put my hand on a leather bible and recite something like “I promise not to harm any book, take any object out of the building and I swear not to ignite flame or fire in this library…” Even then, a library card there doesn’t allow anyone to actually leave the library with anything. See the picture? That's a book at the Bodleian that is chained to the wall for its own protection.
The library is, of course, beautiful, as many of them are. And there's nothing like a book--they smell distinct. They have little marks in them where some mysterious reader once felt moved. Or maybe they're new and stiff and white and pretty. Maybe they have a loving dedication written in the inside cover. Books, aside from entertaining and educating and generating ideas—they are very aesthetically pleasing to hold and see and to give to loved ones.
And libraries—if there is one thing that can be done to improve the world and the quality of lives in it, it’s to give them access to information. Libraries facilitate the self-sufficient improvement of lives, children’s lives, and thereby communities, countries, and the world.
There’s my big spiel on books and libraries. All this to say—I love libraries and I use mine often. I listen to audio books in the car. Right now, I posess a totally random small-print-run book of cosmology poetry--really weird and unique and cool--that I doubt I'd have found elsewhere.
Before that, even, the oldest writing modern human beings had of was a collection of cruciform scripts that were held in a museum in Baghdad. In the beginning of the war, thes tablets were annihilated. This is among the many tragedies involved in war, but I digress.
Libraries, as we commonly think of them now (collection of media materials for public use) as opposed to originally (collection of records, usually archives, or private book collections) are under appreciated and under serious threat. When I lived in Australia, I was surprised to learn that there is no such thing as a library fine there, because libraries don’t need the money. They’re all funded by the government. Due dates? Just a suggestion that rely on a person’s politeness, not a threat of a fine. Why the United States hasn't followed suit is beyond me.
When I was at Oxford, I had a card for the Bodleian Library (which holds ancient books, and a copy of everything printed ever). Before classes started, I had to stand in front of a crowd of serious-looking officiators and put my hand on a leather bible and recite something like “I promise not to harm any book, take any object out of the building and I swear not to ignite flame or fire in this library…” Even then, a library card there doesn’t allow anyone to actually leave the library with anything. See the picture? That's a book at the Bodleian that is chained to the wall for its own protection.
The library is, of course, beautiful, as many of them are. And there's nothing like a book--they smell distinct. They have little marks in them where some mysterious reader once felt moved. Or maybe they're new and stiff and white and pretty. Maybe they have a loving dedication written in the inside cover. Books, aside from entertaining and educating and generating ideas—they are very aesthetically pleasing to hold and see and to give to loved ones.
And libraries—if there is one thing that can be done to improve the world and the quality of lives in it, it’s to give them access to information. Libraries facilitate the self-sufficient improvement of lives, children’s lives, and thereby communities, countries, and the world.
There’s my big spiel on books and libraries. All this to say—I love libraries and I use mine often. I listen to audio books in the car. Right now, I posess a totally random small-print-run book of cosmology poetry--really weird and unique and cool--that I doubt I'd have found elsewhere.
Before I allow myself to go to a book store (where I will spend a ton of money), I make myself go to the library first. It’s like shopping only low-risk and free. What other place could you drop by and walk out with an introductory lesson to the Portugese language, a CD of monks chanting in India, the diary of Virginia Wolfe, a list of the most lucrative stocks in 1995 and a photograph of a star exploding 6 billion light years away, and all for free? If you’ll excuse me, I have another chapter and a half of Jane Austin to read before I trade it with my neighbor’s copy on Lewis and Clark.
3 comments:
You rock. Well said!
My mom's a retired university librarian and I spent many hours roaming the stacks as a child. Even now when most of the peer-reviewed journals I need for grad school are online I find some comfort going to the library (if even just to fire up the wireless laptop.)
Last year I discovered Walter Library on the U of M campus. It's the science/tech library (no good books there for ME) but it is an absolutely gorgeous building, completely renovated and restored.
It's just a couple of buildings away from Northrup Auditorium and worth a visit if you have a thing for library buildings. (Not quite as dramatic and amazing as the restored downtown St. Paul Central Library but still very beautiful).
Thanks for the great post.
I use my local (though for the moment still technically private) library all the time. There's a lot of animosity from people in town when it comes to funding that I've never really understood. People take it very personally.
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