Well, yesterday turned out to be sheer madness -- a steady stream of middle school classes coming in to the library to check out books for the holidays. I didn't have time to do anything but cope with the crowds -- no newspapers, no blog reading. How dare they make me work at work?!
Today, however, is just a half day so it should be more manageable. After noon I'll be a free agent for the next three weeks.
Some of you voiced surprise that our library allows talking. I think the days of strictly enforced library silence are over. There's a recognition now that libraries should be more friendly, active spaces -- more like community centers. That's certainly true of school libraries, and I think it's fine as long as there are some silent spaces offered. As I mentioned, we do have separate rooms for quiet and silent study.
Above is the entrance to the O2 shopping centre, near our flat. It's basically a mall with a movie theatre, a food court, some floundering shops and a big Sainsbury's grocery store. The whole thing is supposed to be torn down sometime in the not-too-distant-future for redevelopment, but they're still working out the plans. Meanwhile, I like its cheery neon Christmas vibe! (Disclaimer: I don't know whether those trees are real neon, or just neon-looking, but either way they work for me.)
They are kind of cute. Do you shop at the soon to be torn down Sainsbury's??
ReplyDeleteOccasionally, when we want something only the big grocery stores carry. We have smaller stores closer to our house for the day-to-day stuff.
DeleteThey DO have a neon look whatever they’re made of. The closest we get to Sainsbury’s is SPAINsbury’s, a shop about the size of my bathroom.. It’s a small bathroom.
ReplyDeleteHa! That's a great name!
DeleteWorking at work - that's ridiculous! Work is just a place one goes to muse, surf the internet and read Newbery prize winners.
ReplyDeleteExactly! What are they thinking?!
DeleteDue to time differences, I imagine that you are already on break! Yay! Enjoy, Steve.
ReplyDeleteIt came none too soon!
DeleteI am assuming a shopping centre is the same as a shopping mall on this side of the pond. Our malls are all on hard times and just about derelict in nature. I don't know if it is due to stores like Walmart that sell everything in one place or people are just lazy and don't want to carry bags from one store to the next while walking. The only successful malls I have seen recently are those with individual entrances from the outside to every store.
ReplyDeleteIt's basically a mall, but not as large as a typical American mall. I hate to see how malls are struggling these days, when they were such a vibrant part of my youth!
DeleteIt's always very annoying when I'm expected to work at work. For example, I need to get off of the internet & work on some things myself. The nerve!
ReplyDeleteYou'd think they were PAYING us...oh, wait.
DeleteYour three weeks of delightful holiday break have begun! I'm looking forward to all the walks in your future.
ReplyDeleteThere will definitely be walking! Hopefully lots of it!
DeleteYou should be heartened by so many students who enjoy reading (or as is more probably the case, instructed to read by their teachers). Enjoy your holiday break.
ReplyDeleteWhether they enjoy it or they're doing it as ordered, I'm glad. I really think a lot of them DO want to read recreationally, but they don't normally have time. The older students, anyway.
DeleteThe change in library noise level has changed very much over the past 30 years. It's made things much more inviting.
ReplyDeleteExactly -- it's not such a rigid environment anymore.
DeleteI am glad that libraries are more friendly now. Woo Hoo, enjoy your break! Take lots of walks to share with us! :)
ReplyDeleteLet walking commence!
DeleteWhen I was in highschool, forty plus years ago, we talked all the time in the library. Probably drove the librarians crazy.
ReplyDeleteHave a lovely break from work.
As I recall, we weren't allowed in the library except at very specific times, unless we were there with a class. I think we could pop in and get a book at lunchtime, maybe? Or before school? I can't remember.
DeleteI am enjoying your night scene photography.
ReplyDeleteI've seen some fantastic community libraries that are very activity-oriented and also have quiet spaces set aside. I love how they foster a love of learning through various modes, not only reading. To me, the word "library" brings to mind a magical place filled with hidden treasures. My library-going is now limited to online libraries -lucky for me they are filled with treasures too.
It is amazing how much is available electronically these days! I've never taken to e-books or audio books myself, but some people love them and more power to them.
Deleteebooks are fantastic! My hands don't ache from holding a heavy book, I can make the print whatever size I want, I can carry an entire library with me in my little bag, I can read in the dark, the list goes on. It is not the same as a holding an actual book in your hand. My black and white ereader does not do justice to graphics, but on my computer the graphics are even better than hardcopy. It can't quite match the atmosphere of a physical library though.
DeleteCongrats On The Three Week Reward There - I Will Be Anticipating Loads Of Olga Girl Photos - Be Well Brother Reed
ReplyDeleteCheers
I'm sure Olga will be heavily featured!
DeleteI agree. The neon trees are really pretty. I think the atmosphere in your library sounds friendly to everyone. Enjoy your mini vacation from school, hugs, Edna B.
ReplyDeleteWe try to make it a welcoming space!
DeleteI like the neon tree display. Simple, yet sufficient. Enjoy your break from school and spend lots of quality time with Olga (even if that means napping)!
ReplyDeleteThere are more neon trees suspended from the columns in front of those doors, but I couldn't fit them all in the photo. :)
DeleteEnjoy your winter break!
ReplyDeleteThank you!
DeleteIn Tucson, AZ the noise levels in libraries is shocking. The other thing we noticed is a large decrease in the number of books on the shelves. Apparently one must order the book online and they'll send it to the library for you to pick up. Washington state libraries used to let you order online and they would mail it to you, that ended a long time ago as postage rates increased.
ReplyDeleteLove the Christmas trees on the mall.
I think borrowing by mail was common in some western states because of the long distances. Not sure whether that's still true -- maybe those programs have subsided now that most people have Internet.
DeleteFor a moment I thought The O2 at Greenwich was being pulled down but how is that near you. I looked at the shopping centre website and in spite of its location the first in the list of how to get there is disappointingly by car.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your break.
It has a HUGE parking area, and a surprising number of people drive! Yeah, it's different from the O2 in Greenwich. (Which is also a white elephant, but that's another story.)
DeleteThe colorful trees are a good way to send you into your winter break. Maybe you can use some of the time in those three weeks to figure out how to get rid of these spam scum (above).
ReplyDeleteThe spammers are running amok! I've never had a problem until recently.
DeleteNo talking in a library? It's hard to believe that anyone thought that libraries were still silent. In my high school library we just hoped that no one was vaping or having sex in the stacks.
ReplyDeleteHa! Fortunately we don't deal with much misbehavior. I never see smoking at our school, and kids these days don't seem as into "PDA" as they did when I was a kid. I never hear about who's dating who, for example, but when I went to school it was obvious.
DeleteI love those neon Christmas trees.
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