Librophiliacs Dream

[Jason]

I suggest if you have a love of old and beautiful libraries, you check out the following pages and prepare to use up all your frequent flier miles!

http://www.curiousexpeditions.org/2007/09/...e_letter_1.html

PS. Let us know which is your favorite and why!

Mine: Biblioteca Angelica, Rome, Italy. I would sell my soul to spend eternity there!

[Elphaba]

Whenever a therapist would take me on the predictable imagery trip to my "safe place," I inevitably ended up in a library. I've always felt safe surrounded by the stacks, and often chose to sleep there rather than in my apartment as a student, always lulled to sleep by the gorgeous smell of books.

I have just spent the last hour in awe looking at the most glorious of libraries, wondrous stacks and stacks of books, of which I can only imagine the magical smell I love so well.

I have actually been to one library on the blog, and that’s the Boston Copley Plaza Public Library. It is beautitful and I used to love finding the perfect book, the perfect spot, the perfect breathe, and the perfect forget.

My first choice among the greats was the Bodleian Library at Oxford, because I not only love books, but am an anglophile as well. Thus, the Bod seemed the perfect marriage of academia, librophilia, and anglophilia.

The picture of the Bodleian did not disappoint, though as I read the comments below I discovered the picture is actually of the Duke of Humphrey’s Library, located within the Bodleian. Works for me.

However, as my eyes marveled at all of this tradition and majesty, I kept coming back to the Library of the Benedictine Monastery of the Admont in Austria. I don’t really understand why, because it’s too, I don’t know, pretty for me. In fact it looks like a luscious wedding cake, with its many decorated layers held up by books frosted shut with pounds of sugared lard.

But it also speaks to the little princess inside of me who wants to live in a fairy castle. It’s so clean, blue and white that I’m sure there are bright copper kettles hiding somewhere amongst the brown paper packages tied up with string.

Yet, I know if were to spend a week in there I would be craving grumps and darkness and wood that looks like wood. And I love the ceiling that just screams haughty, arrogance, smoking pipes, and Newton.

I’ve always envied anyone who could go to Oxford. I just love the word. Oxford. Say it! Oxxfuurdd. Isn’t that a great word!

So, the Bodleian it is.

Before I go, I found this in the comments section.

“Since you began with the gorgeous Prague library, here's a suggestion for a new thread: the world's most ridiculous libraries. Here's the link for the "prizewinning" design for the NEW library in Prague.

NEW Prague Library

I can't help but wonder what Prince Charles would say about this design. Oy vey

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I don’t know about Prince Charles, but I say . . . better not. It's against the rules.

Elphaba

[Jason]

The new Prague library looks like it was inspired by the cartoon "Sponge Bob, Square Pants."

Elph, why aren't you publishing anymore? It's embarrassing to write something when you're around.

[Elphaba]

Elph, why aren't you publishing anymore? It's embarrassing to write something when you're around.

I actually am not a very good creative writer; rather, my strength is in technical writing. Unfortunately, my talent that separated me from the mediocre has disappeared beccause of my Chronic Fatigue Illnesss. One of the symptoms is severe cognitive impairment.

But when the subject is the exquisite library? The words write themselves.

I really am quite flattered. Thank you.

Elphaba

[pushka]

Jason, for some reason I can't access this webpage...just get the 'page cannot be displayed' message...so I can't see all those lovely libraries. I have fantasies of living in my local library...although it's got absolutely no character to it...a 60's building...I just love the cases full of books, and could think of nothing better than to live inside my own library with just my bed and a few cooking utensils nearby...

Elphie, that proposed new Prague library reminded me more of the Telllytubbies than Spongebob Squarepants...very odd.

[Jason]

Michelle,

Looks like the site is down. I can't get it to load today either.

Hopefully they'll get it back up again soon.

[pushka]

Yeah, I hope so too...btw, we have a lovely old library in Burnley, about 4 miles from where I now live, and the town in which I grew up..all stone and wood, beautiful large bookcases...they've modernised the inside of it quite a lot recently, but the outside is still lovely and stands in its own grounds...a wonderful place in which I've spent many hours looking at old newspapers ( I love to look at old newspapers, nearly a century old..also I like to research facts and figures regarding public health in the 19th and early 20th centuries...)

[Annabelli]

Maybe it is just back online today. I had also added it to favorites so I don't know if that made a difference.

I do find it interesting how many people have these feelings about librarys and how some people are not affected at all. But then again I get this same perspective about books when I am standing in the 90F+ sunlight for hours selling used books at the festival. Then there are the people who stop by and just connect with the same feelings.

[Snow]

I suggest if you have a love of old and beautiful libraries, you check out the following pages and prepare to use up all your frequent flier miles!

http://www.curiousexpeditions.org/2007/09/...e_letter_1.html

PS. Let us know which is your favorite and why!

Mine: Biblioteca Angelica, Rome, Italy. I would sell my soul to spend eternity there!

C'est incroyable!

I can't access all of the pictures right now but the ones I do get are wonderful.

Have you read Umberto Eco's Name of the Rose or seen the movie?

[pam]

I'm supposed to pick just one? There are some incredible libraries shown. I was trying to find a picture of a library at one of the monasteries. I've seen pictures before and they are amazing. Multiple floors of books lining every wall.

[Snow]

Sometimes I have a dream of this old 20 story building in Salt Lake that is full of decrepit old offices and stores, and such - some in use, some fallen into disuse but the whole building is full of dens (and their denizens) and warrens and dark hidden alcoves just dripping with books and magazines and papers - everything or all sorts and varieties from Church material to history, to science, to softcore porn to dusty and musty old artwork.

That's a good dream.

[Jason]

C'est incroyable!

I can't access all of the pictures right now but the ones I do get are wonderful.

Have you read Umberto Eco's Name of the Rose or seen the movie?

I have not. But I shall add it to my "to do" list.

[Snow]

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C'est incroyable!

I can't access all of the pictures right now but the ones I do get are wonderful.

Have you read Umberto Eco's Name of the Rose or seen the movie?

I have not. But I shall add it to my "to do" list.

It's a murder mystery set in a medievil monastery with a vast, dark and musty, laberynthine library of secret and sometimes forbidden books.

For what it's worth, I understand that after the SL Temple, the Church's most expensive asset is the Harold B. Lee Library.

It is consistently ranked in the top five for Best College Libraries and recently it is 3rd, behind Harvard and Princeton.

http://www.lib.byu.edu/libhistory.html

[Snow]

It's nothing like the old world charm of the old world libraries, but SLC has an incredible library:

http://www.xsltblog.com/archives/slc-library.jpg

http://www.xsltblog.com/archives/slc-libra...r-commons-2.jpg

http://www.xsltblog.com/archives/slc-libra...ior-commons.jpg

[Lonasunde]

I suggest if you have a love of old and beautiful libraries, you check out the following pages and prepare to use up all your frequent flier miles!

http://www.curiousexpeditions.org/2007/09/...e_letter_1.html

PS. Let us know which is your favorite and why!

Mine: Biblioteca Angelica, Rome, Italy. I would sell my soul to spend eternity there!

Oh My goodness! How do you pick ONE??? They're all so beautiful! Although, I do like the ones that have more than one level of books and more books than empty space. That one in Switzerland is Amazing! I'm cursed with a small library.. grr

[Adomini22]

Wow, those are awesome pictures. I liked the one in Ottawa, Canada myself. The statue in the middle.... awesome. Thanx for posting that. I love libraries!