In the age of Kindle and iPad (neither of which I own), do you actually borrow books from your public library? I have to admit, I usually borrow from my school's own library and not the public library.
Incidentally, The Dark Knight Rises premieres today in North America. No Chicago location this time but I'm still gonna see it.
* All my posts related to architecture will now belong to a series called "Edifice Complex."
* Here's more on Harold Washington Library.
* Typecast via Olivetti Studio 46
10 comments:
For years I loved to use the public library and really encouraged my students to do the same by participating in library card drives. I resisted getting a Kindle as long as I could, but even with reading glasses, reading finally became more of a chore than a pleasure. Enlarging the font on my Kindle makes reading fun again, so I rarely make it to the library anymore, even though there's a branch just a few blocks from my home.
For such a new building it's rather interesting. I like the ornaments. We live 5 blocks from the Tacoma Main Library and we always have something out, usually by the half-dozen. As the terminus for the Northern Pacific RR, Tacoma has a lot of architectural connections with Chicago. You'd probably like it.
It is a very impressive building! I'm amazed that it is that new, on first sight I thought it dated back at least from the 1930s or so.
Nice seeing the Studio in action. ^^
I remember when the building went up. It's not ugly, it's a tribute to the great 1880s-1890s architecture of the city. The ornaments are a bit over the top, but what th heck, it's memorable.
I take my daughter to the public library pretty often to stock up on books. (We also go to bookstores, where there is now a whole section named "Teen Paranormal Romance"!)
Now I have a different take on libraries. I always enjoyed my High School & college libraries as well as the public libraries from the places I have lived. I still use the local one.
I hope with the dawning of e-books and e-readers the general public does not loose interest in real libraries.
E-readers are great for the old out of print and not found any place else books.
My different take is used book stores. New book store also although they are becoming rare.
The different architecture from different periods in different cities is wonderful.
I just returned from a trip to IA & IL. I took some photos, but not nearly as many as I wanted to take; just no time.
I really like the old buildings of the Quad-Cities area and I still remember some of the neat old buildings in Chicago from my earlier travels there.
Very interesting. It's clearly supposed to look older than it actually is.
I should visit some architectural sites in Zurich. I know of a Max Bill monument (he designed the Patria/Swissa) and an IBM tower. And that's only the typewriter-related.
Really? One of the ugliest buildings in the world? Surely there are thousands that are much worse. Plus, at least it's not some generic glass/concrete box. Our downtown library is much uglier.
The whole time I was at OU I never ventured to the public library, because I could get everything I needed either from the university library system or from interlibrary loan. Since I'm no longer in college, I go to the public library (and still use ILL). It's pretty depressing to go into a library and just see a bunch of people on computers, though.
@Dana, you've just pointed out a plus side to Kindle that I hadn't considered. That makes sense.
@Peter, I didn't know that. Perhaps you can post a couple of pics? It's awesome that you're a public library regular.
@Miguel, I knew you'd like it that I used the Studio 46. ( :
@Richard, I think the fact that they're way up on the roof diffuses the over-the-top factor. Pun not intended.
@Bill, I'm with you there, I am a huge fan of "used" bookstores. I'm lucky to have Powell's and O'Gara & Wilson just a couple of blocks away.
@Florian, great, let's see some Zurich architecture.
@Lauren, isn't ILL the coolest? I'm such a big fan.
Really, I never use libraries. If there is a book I want to read, I search it out until I can find a copy to call my own. Books have never been something I could borrow, for some reason. I understand how useful a library is, but I cannot see myself using one.
That was named one of the world's ugliest buildings? How is that? I would love to see a library that had this appearance. It looks to be the pinnacle of man's creation...definitely a nice look, if you ask me.
@Ken, I'm one of those nerds who highlights and scribbles on books so I usually get my own copy if I can.
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