August 11th, 2010 / 12:18 pm
Snippets
Snippets
Nick Antosca—
I just got the first library card I’ve had in years. For most of my adult life I’ve bought rather than borrowed the vast majority of books I read. New or used, whatever. Now I’m recovering that thrill I used to experience as a middle-schooler browsing the library’s website, putting stacks of books on hold. It’s pleasing, no?
Tin House disapproves this post.
Tin House disapproves this post.
I work at a library and still love getting holds.
Talk to librarians and request small press books! Seriously, we do order things when patrons ask for them.
I work at a library and still love getting holds.
Talk to librarians and request small press books! Seriously, we do order things when patrons ask for them.
For me the library — the real library where books dominate, which is to say the library in its death throes — feels like I think a church must feel like to a fervent believer. (Lately I’ve been divesting myself of boxes of books, having found myself one morning nearly buried — both literally and figuratively — under the weight of all those covers and pages. I don’t need to own books, I realized. Once I was surprised when I visited the home of a novelist and he showed me around, and I realized how few books he actually owned. I wonder if the owning of books is an impediment to the writing of books. It depends on the writer, I suppose; in my case I suspect an environment clotted by books has been less helpful than I would have liked.)
I love walking through the stacks and stumbling across random books that you never would have sought out otherwise.
I love walking through the stacks and stumbling across random books that you never would have sought out otherwise.
Liar! Okay, maybe not. But here it never happens. I’ve been using the official automated request thingy online for my local library. Do you have one of those where you work, and if so, do requests that come through on it get considered any less seriously that requests conveyed personally?
Liar! Okay, maybe not. But here it never happens. I’ve been using the official automated request thingy online for my local library. Do you have one of those where you work, and if so, do requests that come through on it get considered any less seriously that requests conveyed personally?
I, too, work in a library and it’s my job to process those requests. The online-thingy is not taken any less seriously than requests conveyed personally– the only difference is that if someone asks me personally for a book, I’ll search for it immediately and respond personally. The online requests have to wait in line for me to get to them in my daily routine.
I, too, work in a library and it’s my job to process those requests. The online-thingy is not taken any less seriously than requests conveyed personally– the only difference is that if someone asks me personally for a book, I’ll search for it immediately and respond personally. The online requests have to wait in line for me to get to them in my daily routine.
i started using the library a ton during the past year, which made me embarrassed for having ever stopped. i like searching through stacks and stacks, finding some book that hasn’t been cracked open in years. i love getting calls from the library letting me know a book i put on hold is in. its such an incredibly efficient system and i think the lousy economy is reminding a lot of people (like me) what a pleasant experience library visits are
and libraries really do order books when asked by patrons or publishers. with the new jersey anthology word riot put out, i basically individually emailed a bunch of librarians in nj explaining why the book would be a worthy addition to their collection. the response was amazing–we got a crazy number of baker & taylor orders.
small publishers: seriously make the effort to reach out to librarians. i think we tend to neglect them some times to our detriment.
i started using the library a ton during the past year, which made me embarrassed for having ever stopped. i like searching through stacks and stacks, finding some book that hasn’t been cracked open in years. i love getting calls from the library letting me know a book i put on hold is in. its such an incredibly efficient system and i think the lousy economy is reminding a lot of people (like me) what a pleasant experience library visits are
and libraries really do order books when asked by patrons or publishers. with the new jersey anthology word riot put out, i basically individually emailed a bunch of librarians in nj explaining why the book would be a worthy addition to their collection. the response was amazing–we got a crazy number of baker & taylor orders.
small publishers: seriously make the effort to reach out to librarians. i think we tend to neglect them some times to our detriment.
I began using our library regularly a couple years ago, when I decided I needed to cut back on buying so many books (I needed to save more money). I actually read more now than I did, especially new books. I check out a book, and it’s due back in three weeks, so I need to read it soon. I’d buy a book and too often, it’d go on a shelf on on the to-be-read pile, then I’d buy something else. My initial enthusiasm for reading a book would fade, and maybe I’d never get around to it.
I began using our library regularly a couple years ago, when I decided I needed to cut back on buying so many books (I needed to save more money). I actually read more now than I did, especially new books. I check out a book, and it’s due back in three weeks, so I need to read it soon. I’d buy a book and too often, it’d go on a shelf on on the to-be-read pile, then I’d buy something else. My initial enthusiasm for reading a book would fade, and maybe I’d never get around to it.
Yes–this. Exactly! Much more likely to explore new books AND to actually read the books I bring home.
Yes–this. Exactly! Much more likely to explore new books AND to actually read the books I bring home.
What would I do without libraries? Oh libraries, I love you, homeless and mentally ill people notwithstanding.
What would I do without libraries? Oh libraries, I love you, homeless and mentally ill people notwithstanding.
ha ha, you beat me to it
ha ha, you beat me to it
Jackie, I read “Top of the List” today during lunch and got looks b/c I was laughing. It’s the first story I’ve read from “What’s Your Exit” and will be hard to top. I’ve been a big Springsteen fan over the years (off and on, with similar misgivings about him as the narrator has) and I couldn’t get enough of the story.
Jackie, I read “Top of the List” today during lunch and got looks b/c I was laughing. It’s the first story I’ve read from “What’s Your Exit” and will be hard to top. I’ve been a big Springsteen fan over the years (off and on, with similar misgivings about him as the narrator has) and I couldn’t get enough of the story.
Which North American city has the best Public Library System? I’m talking widest and most up-to-date selection, managable wait times for requests, helpful staff, minimal vomit in the washrooms, etc.
Or, hell, what qualities does a Public Library need to have to be the best in your eyes?
Which city has the worst?
Which North American city has the best Public Library System? I’m talking widest and most up-to-date selection, managable wait times for requests, helpful staff, minimal vomit in the washrooms, etc.
Or, hell, what qualities does a Public Library need to have to be the best in your eyes?
Which city has the worst?
When I started getting into contemporary poetry, I feel like I began buying books again–but even now, I wonder: why? As another commenter (somewhat) said, books accumulate more than other things, because most people think “well, I’m not getting rid of books.”
I’ve gotten to the point where I think of it this way: if I can get this easily from the library, and I won’t read it more than once, I don’t buy it. The poetry thing has made that tougher, as some of the small press stuff gets left out; but my library also just won the national medal for libraries just last year, so it’s pretty likely that they’ve got most of what I want, easily hold-able online.
When I started getting into contemporary poetry, I feel like I began buying books again–but even now, I wonder: why? As another commenter (somewhat) said, books accumulate more than other things, because most people think “well, I’m not getting rid of books.”
I’ve gotten to the point where I think of it this way: if I can get this easily from the library, and I won’t read it more than once, I don’t buy it. The poetry thing has made that tougher, as some of the small press stuff gets left out; but my library also just won the national medal for libraries just last year, so it’s pretty likely that they’ve got most of what I want, easily hold-able online.
They let me use a receipt for overdue library books to submit my manuscript. I could have bought several hardcovers with the fines I accrued.
They let me use a receipt for overdue library books to submit my manuscript. I could have bought several hardcovers with the fines I accrued.
the same thing happened to me but I didn’t and don’t question it. as far as small press stuff, even if I were only going to read it once (unlikely for me with poetry at least) I’d buy it partially for the support element of it (though this is not so huge because there are generally enough people to snap up a 100-250 print run even without me), but also because the books are fun to own, look nice/beautiful etc.
the same thing happened to me but I didn’t and don’t question it. as far as small press stuff, even if I were only going to read it once (unlikely for me with poetry at least) I’d buy it partially for the support element of it (though this is not so huge because there are generally enough people to snap up a 100-250 print run even without me), but also because the books are fun to own, look nice/beautiful etc.
Seattle’s is so pretty.
Seattle’s is so pretty.
I don’t know about other states, but here in Massachusetts, if they don’t have a copy in the east, we go to another website to search the rest of the state, and if we can’t find a copy in the rest of the state then you can ask the librarians to search the rest of the country.
The books are delivered free of charge, right to your town library, no matter where they come from.
There’re several books — and CD’s as well, by the way — that I’ve had to obtain this way.
Oisín Curran’s amazing book Mopus, for example, was being held in only two libraries in the entire nation: one in California and one in Maine.
Talented writers have it difficult, but if you really want a certain book you can quite often get it.
So don’t be afraid to ask your librarian if they can search out of state for a book you can’t find. They’re also more likely to help you out if you’re nice to them, by the way, and maybe even order a copy. (Hint, hint.)
And by the way, please: respect the homeless. Okay? Thank you.
I don’t know about other states, but here in Massachusetts, if they don’t have a copy in the east, we go to another website to search the rest of the state, and if we can’t find a copy in the rest of the state then you can ask the librarians to search the rest of the country.
The books are delivered free of charge, right to your town library, no matter where they come from.
There’re several books — and CD’s as well, by the way — that I’ve had to obtain this way.
Oisín Curran’s amazing book Mopus, for example, was being held in only two libraries in the entire nation: one in California and one in Maine.
Talented writers have it difficult, but if you really want a certain book you can quite often get it.
So don’t be afraid to ask your librarian if they can search out of state for a book you can’t find. They’re also more likely to help you out if you’re nice to them, by the way, and maybe even order a copy. (Hint, hint.)
And by the way, please: respect the homeless. Okay? Thank you.
thanks! i’ll pass that along to the author
thanks! i’ll pass that along to the author
Thanks, Jackie. Please tell Josh Goldfaden I laughed out loud quite a few times, to boot.
Thanks, Jackie. Please tell Josh Goldfaden I laughed out loud quite a few times, to boot.
Don’t just do the automated thing. Get to know librarians and talk to them about what books you think the library should get. Photocopy reviews. Librarians mostly just look at Publishers Weekly and the Library Journal but are open to other stuff… if you can convince them that it will circulate. Advocate for small press stuff and good contemporary fiction because most librarians want to order it but don’t know about it or can’t justify it in the budget without patron enthusiasm.
Don’t just do the automated thing. Get to know librarians and talk to them about what books you think the library should get. Photocopy reviews. Librarians mostly just look at Publishers Weekly and the Library Journal but are open to other stuff… if you can convince them that it will circulate. Advocate for small press stuff and good contemporary fiction because most librarians want to order it but don’t know about it or can’t justify it in the budget without patron enthusiasm.
Jackie, that’s awesome you reached out to librarians and got such a good response.
I’m thinking about putting together a website to help people get small press into libraries. It would be modeled on this http://www.crimethinc.com/books/intolibraries.html but with a wider focus. Maybe 5 books per month.
Jackie, that’s awesome you reached out to librarians and got such a good response.
I’m thinking about putting together a website to help people get small press into libraries. It would be modeled on this http://www.crimethinc.com/books/intolibraries.html but with a wider focus. Maybe 5 books per month.
Cincinnati has awesome libraries.
Cincinnati has awesome libraries.
When you use a library you are stealing from authors. And you are reading books covered in other people’s snot.
When you use a library you are stealing from authors. And you are reading books covered in other people’s snot.
I live in the middle of nowhere, so my library has very little of interest. I also have a bad habit of checking out books and then not reading them.
I live in the middle of nowhere, so my library has very little of interest. I also have a bad habit of checking out books and then not reading them.
Maybe at the library of sniffling burglars.
Maybe at the library of sniffling burglars.
i just laughed
i just laughed
Tin House disapproves this post.
This the best post you could come up with Nickyjudybloompoo?
This the best post you could come up with Nickyjudybloompoo?
I work at a library and still love getting holds.
Talk to librarians and request small press books! Seriously, we do order things when patrons ask for them.
I love walking through the stacks and stumbling across random books that you never would have sought out otherwise.
Liar! Okay, maybe not. But here it never happens. I’ve been using the official automated request thingy online for my local library. Do you have one of those where you work, and if so, do requests that come through on it get considered any less seriously that requests conveyed personally?
I, too, work in a library and it’s my job to process those requests. The online-thingy is not taken any less seriously than requests conveyed personally– the only difference is that if someone asks me personally for a book, I’ll search for it immediately and respond personally. The online requests have to wait in line for me to get to them in my daily routine.
i started using the library a ton during the past year, which made me embarrassed for having ever stopped. i like searching through stacks and stacks, finding some book that hasn’t been cracked open in years. i love getting calls from the library letting me know a book i put on hold is in. its such an incredibly efficient system and i think the lousy economy is reminding a lot of people (like me) what a pleasant experience library visits are
and libraries really do order books when asked by patrons or publishers. with the new jersey anthology word riot put out, i basically individually emailed a bunch of librarians in nj explaining why the book would be a worthy addition to their collection. the response was amazing–we got a crazy number of baker & taylor orders.
small publishers: seriously make the effort to reach out to librarians. i think we tend to neglect them some times to our detriment.
I have to admit: I discovered the library just last year, like you, I’d forgotten that I don’t have to buy books in order to read them. The down-side: no marginalia and I can’t keep the books. The up-side: I get to read as much as I want for free. I checked out something like nine boxes of books over a semester. Pretty great.
I have to admit: I discovered the library just last year, like you, I’d forgotten that I don’t have to buy books in order to read them. The down-side: no marginalia and I can’t keep the books. The up-side: I get to read as much as I want for free. I checked out something like nine boxes of books over a semester. Pretty great.
I began using our library regularly a couple years ago, when I decided I needed to cut back on buying so many books (I needed to save more money). I actually read more now than I did, especially new books. I check out a book, and it’s due back in three weeks, so I need to read it soon. I’d buy a book and too often, it’d go on a shelf on on the to-be-read pile, then I’d buy something else. My initial enthusiasm for reading a book would fade, and maybe I’d never get around to it.
Yes–this. Exactly! Much more likely to explore new books AND to actually read the books I bring home.
What would I do without libraries? Oh libraries, I love you, homeless and mentally ill people notwithstanding.
ha ha, you beat me to it
d, do it!
d, do it!
You know what, Des Moines’s was pretty good. I miss it. They had such a weird selection–things you’d think would be obvious shelf fillers were absent and stuff you’d never expect to find would be represented with copies. You can also sit on the second floor and stare out these expanses of glass and watch people park poorly and illegally outside. AND, AND there is free underground parking.
You know what, Des Moines’s was pretty good. I miss it. They had such a weird selection–things you’d think would be obvious shelf fillers were absent and stuff you’d never expect to find would be represented with copies. You can also sit on the second floor and stare out these expanses of glass and watch people park poorly and illegally outside. AND, AND there is free underground parking.
Jackie, I read “Top of the List” today during lunch and got looks b/c I was laughing. It’s the first story I’ve read from “What’s Your Exit” and will be hard to top. I’ve been a big Springsteen fan over the years (off and on, with similar misgivings about him as the narrator has) and I couldn’t get enough of the story.
Which North American city has the best Public Library System? I’m talking widest and most up-to-date selection, managable wait times for requests, helpful staff, minimal vomit in the washrooms, etc.
Or, hell, what qualities does a Public Library need to have to be the best in your eyes?
Which city has the worst?
It IS sort of disturbing, the number of library pages that have been snotted. But whatever, I plunge on.
It IS sort of disturbing, the number of library pages that have been snotted. But whatever, I plunge on.
When I was in 4th grade one of my friends/enemies showed me a stack of books from our public library that he’d hoarded in his locker at school. He had no plans to give them back. I was naive and infused with this idea of justice and also angry that other people (ie me) wouldn’t be able to read them and so I went to the library sometime in the days that followed. It was obvious when I told the librarian about my friend that she thought I meant me.
When I was in 4th grade one of my friends/enemies showed me a stack of books from our public library that he’d hoarded in his locker at school. He had no plans to give them back. I was naive and infused with this idea of justice and also angry that other people (ie me) wouldn’t be able to read them and so I went to the library sometime in the days that followed. It was obvious when I told the librarian about my friend that she thought I meant me.
When I started getting into contemporary poetry, I feel like I began buying books again–but even now, I wonder: why? As another commenter (somewhat) said, books accumulate more than other things, because most people think “well, I’m not getting rid of books.”
I’ve gotten to the point where I think of it this way: if I can get this easily from the library, and I won’t read it more than once, I don’t buy it. The poetry thing has made that tougher, as some of the small press stuff gets left out; but my library also just won the national medal for libraries just last year, so it’s pretty likely that they’ve got most of what I want, easily hold-able online.
I’m definitely a library fan. We have some pretty good ones here in Queens, although they are faced with massive cuts this year. Sunnyside branch is my regular.
I recently managed to get a copy of Jeffrey Lee Pierce’s memoir “Go Tell The Mountain” ($200 bucks on abebooks the last time i looked!) – and no, I didnt steal it to sell, ha ha. i was pretty glad I didnt buy it, after i got a chance to read it though. Seems like he died half way through writing it, so they just stuck a bunch of his diary excerpts to pad it out, (most of them seemed to revolve around his sexual fantasties about Asian girls…)
Also picked a pristine first edition of John Giorno’s poetry collection “Cancer in my left ball” which is also pretty collectible. Read it, very carefully. They do have some pretty interesting books there, tucked away amongst the latest Grishams, etc.
I’m definitely a library fan. We have some pretty good ones here in Queens, although they are faced with massive cuts this year. Sunnyside branch is my regular.
I recently managed to get a copy of Jeffrey Lee Pierce’s memoir “Go Tell The Mountain” ($200 bucks on abebooks the last time i looked!) – and no, I didnt steal it to sell, ha ha. i was pretty glad I didnt buy it, after i got a chance to read it though. Seems like he died half way through writing it, so they just stuck a bunch of his diary excerpts to pad it out, (most of them seemed to revolve around his sexual fantasties about Asian girls…)
Also picked a pristine first edition of John Giorno’s poetry collection “Cancer in my left ball” which is also pretty collectible. Read it, very carefully. They do have some pretty interesting books there, tucked away amongst the latest Grishams, etc.
They let me use a receipt for overdue library books to submit my manuscript. I could have bought several hardcovers with the fines I accrued.
the same thing happened to me but I didn’t and don’t question it. as far as small press stuff, even if I were only going to read it once (unlikely for me with poetry at least) I’d buy it partially for the support element of it (though this is not so huge because there are generally enough people to snap up a 100-250 print run even without me), but also because the books are fun to own, look nice/beautiful etc.
Seattle’s is so pretty.
I don’t know about other states, but here in Massachusetts, if they don’t have a copy in the east, we go to another website to search the rest of the state, and if we can’t find a copy in the rest of the state then you can ask the librarians to search the rest of the country.
The books are delivered free of charge, right to your town library, no matter where they come from.
There’re several books — and CD’s as well, by the way — that I’ve had to obtain this way.
Oisín Curran’s amazing book Mopus, for example, was being held in only two libraries in the entire nation: one in California and one in Maine.
Talented writers have it difficult, but if you really want a certain book you can quite often get it.
So don’t be afraid to ask your librarian if they can search out of state for a book you can’t find. They’re also more likely to help you out if you’re nice to them, by the way, and maybe even order a copy. (Hint, hint.)
And by the way, please: respect the homeless. Okay? Thank you.
thanks! i’ll pass that along to the author
Thanks, Jackie. Please tell Josh Goldfaden I laughed out loud quite a few times, to boot.
Don’t just do the automated thing. Get to know librarians and talk to them about what books you think the library should get. Photocopy reviews. Librarians mostly just look at Publishers Weekly and the Library Journal but are open to other stuff… if you can convince them that it will circulate. Advocate for small press stuff and good contemporary fiction because most librarians want to order it but don’t know about it or can’t justify it in the budget without patron enthusiasm.
do it! that’s a fantastic idea
do it! that’s a fantastic idea
Jackie, that’s awesome you reached out to librarians and got such a good response.
I’m thinking about putting together a website to help people get small press into libraries. It would be modeled on this http://www.crimethinc.com/books/intolibraries.html but with a wider focus. Maybe 5 books per month.
Cincinnati has awesome libraries.
When you use a library you are stealing from authors. And you are reading books covered in other people’s snot.
I live in the middle of nowhere, so my library has very little of interest. I also have a bad habit of checking out books and then not reading them.
Maybe at the library of sniffling burglars.
i just laughed
This the best post you could come up with Nickyjudybloompoo?
I totally did that to my high school library.
Looking forward to downloading entire reading experiences to my brain or something.
Or to just getting up the gumption and drive to read again. And so forth.
I totally did that to my high school library.
Looking forward to downloading entire reading experiences to my brain or something.
Or to just getting up the gumption and drive to read again. And so forth.
I think it’s weird how some upright citizens take the time out of their busy and important lives to give shit to homeless people in libraries. Fucking pricks.
I just laughed as well. “Sniffling burglars.”
I think it’s weird how some upright citizens take the time out of their busy and important lives to give shit to homeless people in libraries. Fucking pricks.
I just laughed as well. “Sniffling burglars.”
I have to admit: I discovered the library just last year, like you, I’d forgotten that I don’t have to buy books in order to read them. The down-side: no marginalia and I can’t keep the books. The up-side: I get to read as much as I want for free. I checked out something like nine boxes of books over a semester. Pretty great.
d, do it!
You know what, Des Moines’s was pretty good. I miss it. They had such a weird selection–things you’d think would be obvious shelf fillers were absent and stuff you’d never expect to find would be represented with copies. You can also sit on the second floor and stare out these expanses of glass and watch people park poorly and illegally outside. AND, AND there is free underground parking.
It IS sort of disturbing, the number of library pages that have been snotted. But whatever, I plunge on.
When I was in 4th grade one of my friends/enemies showed me a stack of books from our public library that he’d hoarded in his locker at school. He had no plans to give them back. I was naive and infused with this idea of justice and also angry that other people (ie me) wouldn’t be able to read them and so I went to the library sometime in the days that followed. It was obvious when I told the librarian about my friend that she thought I meant me.
I’m definitely a library fan. We have some pretty good ones here in Queens, although they are faced with massive cuts this year. Sunnyside branch is my regular.
I recently managed to get a copy of Jeffrey Lee Pierce’s memoir “Go Tell The Mountain” ($200 bucks on abebooks the last time i looked!) – and no, I didnt steal it to sell, ha ha. i was pretty glad I didnt buy it, after i got a chance to read it though. Seems like he died half way through writing it, so they just stuck a bunch of his diary excerpts to pad it out, (most of them seemed to revolve around his sexual fantasties about Asian girls…)
Also picked a pristine first edition of John Giorno’s poetry collection “Cancer in my left ball” which is also pretty collectible. Read it, very carefully. They do have some pretty interesting books there, tucked away amongst the latest Grishams, etc.
I’ve been madly in love with public libraries since I was five years old, so I’ve had a card for eighteen years. I use the library less now than I did then (my mom loved that she could dump me, my little brother, and little sister off in the kids section and go curl up in child-free silence with a book and a coffee), but I just picked up Eating Animals by Jonathon Safran Foer on Monday (don’t you just love making reserves online while drunk and then they’re there waiting for you like magic?). My town’s library was named best in the country a few times in the past decade–most recently in 2008. It’s three massive floors filled with murals by local artists and has a coffee shop in the foyer.
I’ve been madly in love with public libraries since I was five years old, so I’ve had a card for eighteen years. I use the library less now than I did then (my mom loved that she could dump me, my little brother, and little sister off in the kids section and go curl up in child-free silence with a book and a coffee), but I just picked up Eating Animals by Jonathon Safran Foer on Monday (don’t you just love making reserves online while drunk and then they’re there waiting for you like magic?). My town’s library was named best in the country a few times in the past decade–most recently in 2008. It’s three massive floors filled with murals by local artists and has a coffee shop in the foyer.
Haha, I mean Jonathan* Safran Foer. Honestly he’s one of those writers that I’ve heard of many times but never read.
Haha, I mean Jonathan* Safran Foer. Honestly he’s one of those writers that I’ve heard of many times but never read.
do it! that’s a fantastic idea
I hate when that happens.
I hate when that happens.
I suddenly remember I ordered a book once from a library, took it home, first page of Chapter 4: big rectangular hole cut out of the page with scissors (or a razor, difficult to tell).
And to think there was once a time when I thought that people who underlined things in library books and then added their own personal commentary on just what those lines meant were the worst that humanity had to offer.
Every year, we grow and grow. There’s always room for more disappointment and more disapproval. Sadness expands us infinitely. It’s not fast food that’s making us fat, fast food simply marks and registers those innumerable realms of sadness, so many, so many.
I suddenly remember I ordered a book once from a library, took it home, first page of Chapter 4: big rectangular hole cut out of the page with scissors (or a razor, difficult to tell).
And to think there was once a time when I thought that people who underlined things in library books and then added their own personal commentary on just what those lines meant were the worst that humanity had to offer.
Every year, we grow and grow. There’s always room for more disappointment and more disapproval. Sadness expands us infinitely. It’s not fast food that’s making us fat, fast food simply marks and registers those innumerable realms of sadness, so many, so many.
the portland and bellevue libraries are always saying she’d be a whole lot prettier
if she smiled once in a while
the portland and bellevue libraries are always saying she’d be a whole lot prettier
if she smiled once in a while
tell that to the Bearcat ballers
tell that to the Bearcat ballers
Love your comments in EW.
Love your comments in EW.
I totally did that to my high school library.
Looking forward to downloading entire reading experiences to my brain or something.
Or to just getting up the gumption and drive to read again. And so forth.
I think it’s weird how some upright citizens take the time out of their busy and important lives to give shit to homeless people in libraries. Fucking pricks.
I just laughed as well. “Sniffling burglars.”
i spend a lot of time in the library
i spend a lot of time in the library
When I was in high school I took Stendal’s ‘The Red and the Black’ out of the public library. (I felt so sophisticated.)
At the end of the book – *SPOILER ALERT* – so serious – the ‘heroine’ is described riding in a coach, the head of her lover, the ‘hero’, in a sack on her lap. Someone had written in the margin: ‘and a ham salad sandwich for lunch’.
When I was in high school I took Stendal’s ‘The Red and the Black’ out of the public library. (I felt so sophisticated.)
At the end of the book – *SPOILER ALERT* – so serious – the ‘heroine’ is described riding in a coach, the head of her lover, the ‘hero’, in a sack on her lap. Someone had written in the margin: ‘and a ham salad sandwich for lunch’.
I’ve been madly in love with public libraries since I was five years old, so I’ve had a card for eighteen years. I use the library less now than I did then (my mom loved that she could dump me, my little brother, and little sister off in the kids section and go curl up in child-free silence with a book and a coffee), but I just picked up Eating Animals by Jonathon Safran Foer on Monday (don’t you just love making reserves online while drunk and then they’re there waiting for you like magic?). My town’s library was named best in the country a few times in the past decade–most recently in 2008. It’s three massive floors filled with murals by local artists and has a coffee shop in the foyer.
Haha, I mean Jonathan* Safran Foer. Honestly he’s one of those writers that I’ve heard of many times but never read.
I hate when that happens.
I suddenly remember I ordered a book once from a library, took it home, first page of Chapter 4: big rectangular hole cut out of the page with scissors (or a razor, difficult to tell).
And to think there was once a time when I thought that people who underlined things in library books and then added their own personal commentary on just what those lines meant were the worst that humanity had to offer.
Every year, we grow and grow. There’s always room for more disappointment and more disapproval. Sadness expands us infinitely. It’s not fast food that’s making us fat, fast food simply marks and registers those innumerable realms of sadness, so many, so many.
the portland and bellevue libraries are always saying she’d be a whole lot prettier
if she smiled once in a while
tell that to the Bearcat ballers
Love your comments in EW.
i spend a lot of time in the library
When I was in high school I took Stendal’s ‘The Red and the Black’ out of the public library. (I felt so sophisticated.)
At the end of the book – *SPOILER ALERT* – so serious – the ‘heroine’ is described riding in a coach, the head of her lover, the ‘hero’, in a sack on her lap. Someone had written in the margin: ‘and a ham salad sandwich for lunch’.
San Francisco’s public library system is the most awesome thing left in this degraded city.
San Francisco’s public library system is the most awesome thing left in this degraded city.
San Francisco’s public library system is the most awesome thing left in this degraded city.