I am quite impressed by the overall SPL system, particularly their automated systems--I love their online library card application, their computer sign-up, their RFID self-checkout (you just place a stack of books on the counter and it scans them all in, no barcode necessary), their request/retrieval setup (I requested a book from another branch and had it delivered within a day or two), and their other automated forms (I suggested a book for purchase the other day without having to talk to a single human being) --but I'm not overly impressed by the branches themselves. Both branches were small and cramped, and didn't seem to have a whole lot of anything. That said, I happened upon a couple of great books as I browsed at each branch, and the University Branch had two or three Veggietales DVDs in that S-Boogie had not seen before. I'm anxious to see the Central Library, as I've heard so much about it. I've definitely decided, though, that if I end up working in a branch system then I need to work in the main branch. What's the point of working at a library if you only have a few thousand books to browse through?
Which brings me to the library I am working at, the main UW library. Wow. No, wait, that "wow" deserves its own paragraph.
Wow.
The library is beautiful, enormous, and, most importantly, filled with books. I don't know exactly how many my library has, but the UW Libraries system altogether has more than 6 million volumes. The thought of helping patrons wade through all that, in addition to all the non-print sources, is rather overwhelming, but also thrilling. I'm excited to see how academic librarianship compares to the public sphere. We'll see if I like it enough to allow the monetary benefits of working in an academic library overcome the socialistic tendencies (stealing a friend's words) that led me to fall in love with public libraries.
But really, who wouldn't want to work in this building?
Is this really the library??? It looks like a cathedral. Which is very cool since I tend to have great reverence for the printed word bound into those neat little portable bundles called books.
ReplyDeleteYes---WOW---is an appropriate response. Can't wait to see it in person. Monday-09/23/06. (!!) Just booked a flight. (!!)
This is the scariest building in the world. From the outside.
ReplyDeleteThe inside is reassuringly ghetto.
.
ReplyDeleteWow.
Life is unfair.
ReplyDeleteI echo Miss Hass. Our library looks like a giant Triscuit with growths.
ReplyDeleteIt is truly abominable. And there are no windows above the 3rd floor. As if all you want to do when you study is stare at cinderblock walls and linoleum floors. Seriously?
ReplyDelete.
ReplyDeleteSeriously.