In honor of National Library Week, a few excellent images of libraries:
–Zurich
–Istanbul
–Berlin
–Portugal
–Vancouver
–New York
–Seattle
–Austria
–Holland
–1978
Links to library images and stories welcome in comments.
Go Read a Book
18th April 2008
Those are great, but there is nothing like the Boise, Idaho library, that forces you to say the name with gusto:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/20725201@N05/2067640900/in/set-72157603304258850/
Running straight to the library
http://curiousexpeditions.org/2007/09/librophiliac_love_letter_a_com.html
When I hiked part of the Appalacian Trail in 2004 I made sure to stop in at libraries whenever I could! Two that stand out for me are
Melbourne, Australia.
Not a library pictuer, but this video from the American Library Association to celebrate National Library Week is priceless
http://alfocus.ala.org/videos/national-library-week-reference-desk
And, as a librarian-to-be, I can testify that it is WAY more accurate than you would ever believe!
The library in Columbia MO is lovely. It’s one of my favorite places on the planet.
I don’t have any pictures of it, but this guy does:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/artripoli/824599169/
Maggie! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU for mentioning NLW.
Thanks for the heads-up on NLW! My mom is the director of the public library in a very small town. I should send her some flowers or something. :)
As far as Phoenix “architecture” goes, this is a pretty impressive building:
http://phoenix.about.com/od/arizonapicturesandphotos/ig/City-Sights/Burton-Barr-Library-01.htm
My husband and I toured the Seattle library when we were there on vacation in October. We wandered around like slack-jawed yokels. We’re lucky if there are actual books in our local library. Our governor started a reading campaign called “Read Y’all”.
I heart the Hale Library at Kansas State University. I was an English major, and spent many, many hours in the dusty old “stacks”. That old paper smell, the crack when you open a book, the quiet, the WORDS, the moment when you find the exact right information you’re looking for…aaaaaaaaahhhhh…
WHY did I not become a librarian?
Sometimes I just need me some Hot Library Smut:
http://thenonist.com/index.php/thenonist/permalink/hot_library_smut/
The Rundel Library in Rochester: http://www.flickr.com/photos/rhirhi/86084813/
I am a Rundel – must find out who in my family this was named for.
Last July a beautiful new library opened in Amsterdam and I took a series of pictures on opening day:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/aveleigh/sets/72157600713598167/
Honnold Library, Claremont Colleges, top floor, in wintery early evening darkness:
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1396/859535201_7520868561_b.jpg
Vancouver has a much cooler libary than UBC. The main branch downtown is built with refrence to the Roman Coliseum.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/selva/90046278/
Hooray for libraries! So nice to see you featuring some lovely ones.
Not my pic, just a Wikipedia image, but my local library in outer suburban Melbourne, Australia is fairly impressive.
Must go take some photos myself one of these days.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/7/71/Mill_Park2.jpg
That library in Peckham is amazing. It has big pods inside for reading or studying in, have a google and see. A few years ago a 10 year old boy called Damilola Taylor was stabbed outside his house in Peckham, and the last footage of him was captured on the library’s CCTV, showing him skipping across the courtyard on his way home from school. Goes to show just how crummy the area can be, and how much of an asset the library is.
As if I needed another reason to love you! I’m a librarian and I could kiss you on the lips. But you’re very far away. Thank you!
The relatively new Salt Lake City Library is simply stunning.
I can almost directly correlate my love of books to my mom taking us kids to the library at least once a week. In my life, the library means comfort, security, and most of all, knowledge.
Just found your blog.
Great stuff!! Keep up the fabulous work.
(And I’m a guy.)
Yea! Thanks for mentioning this!
Fun post subject – I forget that it was World Book day yesterday but posted about books anyway. I looove libraries so much!