By pure coincidence, it has been my good fortune to participate in the re-dedication of two libraries recently, the Cushing Memorial Library at Texas A&M in March--which I wrote about in this space a couple of weeks ago, and which will be the subject of my next Fine Books & Collections column--and the Morris Library at Southern Illinois University (SIU) in Carbondale, Ill. just last week. Especially heartening in both instances is the fact that each institution has made clear an unequivocal belief that books as we know them still matter a great deal, and that the library remains the center and soul of their universities.
At SIU, the commitment involved the appropriation of $56 million five years ago to take a building that had been built in the 1950s and make it suitable for use in the twenty-first century, quite a courageous stand for a publicly supported institution to make at a time when so many others feel that computers are the only way to go. The 235,000-square-foot structure is the central repository for the university's three million volumes--SIU is an Association of Research Libraries (ARL) member--and maintains an extensive battery of terminals and laptop connections to satisfy all electronic needs. Fully accessible to the 25,000 enrolled students, the library also serves the general public, giving the taxpayers a mighty bang for their buck.
An attractive building located at the virtual crossroads of the campus, the Morris Library has been newly fitted with common rooms that make it particularly inviting as a gathering place; there is a coffee and food gallery, of course, but also eleven nicely appointed group study areas that are ideal for reading and contemplation. During a walking tour provided by Dean of Libraries David Carlson, I was especially taken by what he called the "time out" room--a soundproofed cubicle where students can take a break from tedious routines without annoying others.
Carbondale is in the extreme southern section of the state, just 96 miles from St. Louis, 330 miles from Chicago. To be expected, special collections are strong in the history of the Middle Mississippi Valley, but there are outstanding holdings too in American philosophy, twentieth-century world literature, British and American expatriate writers of the 1920s, the Irish Literary Renaissance, and freedom of the press and censorship issues. Rare Books Librarian Melissa Hubbard provided a nice introduction to some of her favorite items, including a Kelmscott Chaucer, several of the nine first-edition copies the library has of James Joyce's "Ulysses," and a few incunables that any curator would be pleased to have in the vault.
In anticipation of my visit to SIU, Gordon Pruett, editor of Cornerstone, a quarterly publication of the Morris Library, did a lengthy Q&A with me that was published in the current edition of the magazine on pages 4-5 and 11; click here for a PDF.
All in all, it was a very busy trip, but there was still time for a whirlwind visit to the local second-hand/antiquarian book store, a terrific place called The Bookworm, conveniently located at the Eastgate Shopping Center on East Walnut Street, owned and operated by Carl and Kelly Rexroad. I found three books from their stock of 50,000 volumes that added to the weight of my suitcase, and thank them for the terrific job they did to make for such a successful signing following my public talk.
At SIU, the commitment involved the appropriation of $56 million five years ago to take a building that had been built in the 1950s and make it suitable for use in the twenty-first century, quite a courageous stand for a publicly supported institution to make at a time when so many others feel that computers are the only way to go. The 235,000-square-foot structure is the central repository for the university's three million volumes--SIU is an Association of Research Libraries (ARL) member--and maintains an extensive battery of terminals and laptop connections to satisfy all electronic needs. Fully accessible to the 25,000 enrolled students, the library also serves the general public, giving the taxpayers a mighty bang for their buck.
An attractive building located at the virtual crossroads of the campus, the Morris Library has been newly fitted with common rooms that make it particularly inviting as a gathering place; there is a coffee and food gallery, of course, but also eleven nicely appointed group study areas that are ideal for reading and contemplation. During a walking tour provided by Dean of Libraries David Carlson, I was especially taken by what he called the "time out" room--a soundproofed cubicle where students can take a break from tedious routines without annoying others.
Carbondale is in the extreme southern section of the state, just 96 miles from St. Louis, 330 miles from Chicago. To be expected, special collections are strong in the history of the Middle Mississippi Valley, but there are outstanding holdings too in American philosophy, twentieth-century world literature, British and American expatriate writers of the 1920s, the Irish Literary Renaissance, and freedom of the press and censorship issues. Rare Books Librarian Melissa Hubbard provided a nice introduction to some of her favorite items, including a Kelmscott Chaucer, several of the nine first-edition copies the library has of James Joyce's "Ulysses," and a few incunables that any curator would be pleased to have in the vault.
In anticipation of my visit to SIU, Gordon Pruett, editor of Cornerstone, a quarterly publication of the Morris Library, did a lengthy Q&A with me that was published in the current edition of the magazine on pages 4-5 and 11; click here for a PDF.
All in all, it was a very busy trip, but there was still time for a whirlwind visit to the local second-hand/antiquarian book store, a terrific place called The Bookworm, conveniently located at the Eastgate Shopping Center on East Walnut Street, owned and operated by Carl and Kelly Rexroad. I found three books from their stock of 50,000 volumes that added to the weight of my suitcase, and thank them for the terrific job they did to make for such a successful signing following my public talk.
Just recently I purchased an old copy of "Now and Then." a wonderful magazine about books published by the British publisher Jonathan Cape in the 1920's. In this issue, Mr. Cape wrote an article addressing a contemporary critic who wrote that the invention of the "wireless" would be the end of books. Mr. Cape correctly predicted that this would not happen. Likewise, I believe we will always have books. No technology could ever replace the essence of a book. Books are what define us as humans. Books put the sapiens in homo sapiens. We are, after all, "People of the Book".
Just last evening at our community library, a room full of people of all ages and walks of life met to discuss "A Winter's Tale" By Shakespeare. It was two hours of sheer delight. Not one of us used a "Kindle" - we all brought copies of the book - some library copies, some brand new personal copies, some well worn and much loved copies of Shakespeare.
Recently, my husband and I visited the Thrall Library Second Hand Book Store in Middletown, New York. The beautifully restored Thrall Library is worth seeing and the next-door used book store is a treat not to miss. I purchased a 5-volume set of British Poetry published by the Penguin Classics. They are lovely old paperbacks with a price of 2 shillings each on the cover - beautifully yellowed with age and just enough infused tobacco scent to make Christopher Morley happy. Now, Kindle that!
Applause, applause to those libraries that continue to treasure their books. We would all be a lot less human without them.
Living just outside of St. Louis myself, I am happy to hear that some college libraries are still taking books seriously. I attended Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville - just a couple of hours north of the Carbondale campus Nick recently visited. What has always amazed me is that until the Borders was opened a couple of years ago, Edwardsville, a huge college town, did not have a book store to speak of (there was a small Christian bookstore on the edge of town, I believe.) My professors at SIU-E used to lament this fact all the time. I have heard of The Bookworm in Carbondale through friends, and it is nice to hear that it is still thriving.
Barbara Strangfeld's comments are reassuring! People gathering to read some classic fiction with real honest-to-goodness books. The thought brings tears to my eyes....