...an adventure, in the sense that many times a user goes for a book and finds a different one, which attracts him more.
This reminds me of my early visits to the school library...
Green library bag over my shoulders,
Savouring every second of the walk-
Thinking and rethinking on what three books to borrow this week-
Tracing my fingertips along the shelves so satisfyingly abundant with new adventures,
Just imagining worlds vaster than Swallows and Amazons , had me blushing and going 'oh, boy'.
There was just so much, too much, to explore.
As a ten year old, I dreamt of visiting the selection on the second floor, exclusive for high school kids
(Unfortunately, I never got to tick this box off my 'When I am older...' to-do list, since I ended up not only changing schools but moving to another country before the seventh grade).
During my university years I frequented Guayaquil's Municipal Library for it had the cheapest photocopy rates ($ 0.02 a page). On a few occasions, reminiscing on the good old days, I tried to submerge myself into the library experience and was greatly disappointed, for it was one helluva hassle. But if you are interested these are the steps you shall follow:
1) Take note that the books at the Municipal Library are shelved behind a glass wall.
2) You have to call on one of the two librarians that are on the other side of this wall, either gossiping or at some corner in the back doing God knows what.
3) You hand her your ID, which she'll stare at for a while and she'll attempt to pronounce your second name a couple times. Then she'll sigh and ask you what you want.
4) Preferably hand her a piece of paper with the title of the book and the name of the author, for she shall mess up greatly otherwise. She'll spend at least five minutes looking through the shelves.
5.1) If you're very lucky she'll come back with the exact book you were looking for.
5.2) If you're not very, but just lucky, she'll bring back a similar book which she'll insist is better than the one you were looking for.
5.3) If you're less fortunate- she'll shake her head and hand you back your ID.
Now, steps 1) to 5) were the ones I followed to simply get my hands on the book and browse through it in the library. I never bothered to go through the process of actually borrowing it to take home.
This being said, you will understand why on my last visit to Seoul, I fell in love-
With the Seoul Metropolitan Library.
With the Seoul Metropolitan Library.
Built in 1926 not for the purpose of being a library but as the governor-general's headquarters.
(Source: Wikipedia)
I frequented it so much that I became acquainted with the nameless familiar faces.
I miss
Pushing through its heavy wooden doors.
I miss
The randomness of the red telephone booth.
I miss
Knowing my way around each floor.
I miss
The coin-insertable photocopy machine.
I miss
Resting my eyes on the garden of roses of Sharon on its terrace.
I miss
Wowing at the unbelievable array of out-of-publication gems it had amongst its shelves.
I miss
The homeless lady in the beige raincoat, who'd heave her newspaper-covered carry-on bag into the silent room. Caring the least about the frowners and grumblers, she would slouch in a corner, take out her tape recorder, plug in her earphones and diligently fill in sheets of paper with Japanese characters. This would be followed by a 2-3 hour siesta and a relaxing time spent in the bathroom cleaning herself up and redoing her hair, before she got back down to her tape-recorder business until 9pm.
I miss
The peace-of-mindedness.
