Whenever I travel, I try to visit libraries: not only do I get decorating and display ideas, but I love the smell (mold? old books? glue? unwashed humanity?) and the atmosphere. Sometimes there is a reverential hush, but more often there is an astonishing array of vibrant activities taking place: fencing demonstrations, cooking classes, story hours, lectures, films... Adults often tell me of their memories of their public and school libraries, usually with enormous nostalgia and affection. When I was about 8 years old, I got dropped off at the Orlando Public Library one fine June morning and the librarian asked me to pose for a newspaper article on the summer reading program. What a thrill! Anybody have other favorite childhood moments in a library?
And now, nationwide, library staff, hours and branches are being cut. My colleague Elisa Herrera sent me a quotation from Eleanor Crumbleholm, a Vancouver librarian, that I think is apt: "Cutting libraries in a recession is like cutting hospitals in a plague."
So: Who You Gonna Call?
Check out Improv Everywhere's invasion of the New York Public Library (watch on YouTube if the embed doesn't work: ):
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