Borrowing Books

[poliphilo]

I haven't been to the town library for years. In fact last time I went it was housed in a completely different building. The old library was Victorian and full of people who didn't wash (sorry, that sounds snobbish and I suppose it is). The new library is full of daylight and bright, young, unemployed men sitting at computer terminals; also it seems to contain fewer books- not that I counted. 

It was Ailz's idea that we should join again. I was sort of dragging my feet. I remembered the old library as a depressing place- the sort of place that used to give me a migraine. But I'm glad I let her win.  It's delicious to go round picking odd things off the shelves. It's not like going to the bookshop- where budget restrictions mean you have to pick and choose with extreme care. Instead you can be promiscuous, daring, irresponsible. I wound up with a graphic novel by Alan Moore, a biography of the Victorian spirit medium Daniel Dunglas Home, a big Taschen picture book about Luis Bunuel, and a pamphlet by the poet Geoffrey Hill. If I don't like them I can whizz  them all back and replace them- as indeed I shall whether I like them or not. I used to have this rather grim thing about wanting to own every book I liked; not any more; I've worked out- and it's taken me long enough- that I can't take them with me.

Comments

[halfmoon-mollie.livejournal.com]

I still have too many books, but you are quite right - you can't take them with you, I hope someone donates mine - to the library.

Our library is much nicer than the old one (which was housed in an old school, and had that mysterious old book/old building smell) but as you say, seems to contain fewer books- but then, there is a county wide system so if you can't find what you want, they will send to the library that has it and get it for you.

For me, the library visit is also a chance to visit with my friend swamp_rose, at least this time of year. When spring and summer return, I might walk there again.

Libaries are indeed most wonderful places.

[besideserato.livejournal.com]

After all the moving I have done, I have learned the lesson well. You cannot take them with you. They're heavy and hard to maintain on journeys around the world. Best to borrow and set them free again to change others' lives as they did yours.

[aellia.livejournal.com]

We have a new library,too.
This is the old one. Haunted of course
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/kent/6357605.stm

Enjoy the books
x

[fickleasever.livejournal.com]

"You can't take it with you."

Ah, you've reminded me of another phrase I don't like that I should have put in my userinfo!

The thing with it is this: No, you can't take it with you, but you can enjoy it while you're here. I, for one, love owning books as for me it's more than just reading. I like owning books in the same way as I like owning photographs.

[internet-sampo.livejournal.com]

When my wife and I moved from our big house in Ohio to our small apartment in New York City we had a lot of culling to do with our books! In Ohio, we actually had a library in our house. The culling went in several stages. One stage was when we realized how wonderful the Queens borough and NY City libraries were. Oh, the local branch of the Queens library is like all of the other libraries across the US, fully of street people and the elderly. But both the Queens and NYC libraries have online catalogs which you can use to order books from any other branch. The librarians know us by name now.