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July 7, 2010
Library fantasies
With one exception (the glasses) the photo below could basically be me in my living room. The more books in a room, the happier I am. But lately I've been spending my free time packing my books into boxes. I'm moving soon, and it is highly unlikely that I will have room for my entire library in my next home. Sigh. In between sorting books into labeled cardboard boxes (Books I Absolutely Must Put On Shelf In Smaller Apartment, Books I Will Reluctantly Relocate To Parents' Attic, Utterly Useless PoliSci Textbooks Whose Pages Can Be Used To Wrap Coffee Cups, Books I Stole From Dad Years Ago, Books I Really Should Return To Ex/Acquintance/That Guy/Despicable Creature Who Absolutely Does Not Deserve Them, Books I Should Just Carry Around In Purses Until I've Read Them Again etc.), I've edited a magazine article about BookCrossing. It's by Marit Letnes, will be published in the next issue of argument, and (spoiler!) contains paragraphs like:
"Books are special objects, carriers of culture, not to be thrown away lightly. Destruction of books is often taboo, as if they have a spirit. They are not like other commodities: They should be given, not just sold."
Hardly the right sentences for me to be repeating over and over in my head when I should be thinking about letting go of my books.
So I fantasize about libraries. So does @nongenderous apparently. Her tumblr is full of library pictures. Read/dream on...
I love the feeling of promise that comes with a library.
Aahh... No comment necessary. I could live here.
I could live here too, although it is a little too church-like. Who is the monk-like guy above the door? Where is this?
El Ateneo in Buenos Aires, a bookstore in a theater.
Nice. I have no idea where this is either.
Neil Gaiman's bookshelves. See more from his collection here.
The University of Copenhagen. One should consider the inspirational value of the university library when choosing a university. (Photo by Bo Madsen, I think)
Oh... wow. Biblioteca Joanina, at the University of Coimbra. Too bad I can't read Portugese. (My own university library wasn't ugly, but I probably should have gone to Copenhagen or Coimbra.)
In the process of moving, this is a more realistic idea of what my library looks like.
(All images via nongenderous. Original locations and photographers are usually lost on tumblr, but if you know where the photos are from, please let me know so I can credit and link appropriately. And visit the libraries of course.)
Posted by Julie at July 7, 2010 11:32 PM
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