I have long been obsessed with libraries. As a child, I used to pick out as many books as I was allowed to borrow at a time—often filling my little arms to the brim so I could barely see over the stack. As I grew, the library became a great place to escape being home, find a quiet place to do homework or meet up with friends. In college, the library was the only solace from the craziness of dorm living, and during several semesters of literature classes, I spent many, many hours poring over my assigned books.
But more than just a quiet place, my favorite thing about libraries is the thrill of what you might find there, the excitement of the unknown. For a couple of semesters I worked at RIT’s Archives—a fantastic collection of photography, art books and graphic design. When I wasn’t shelving books on the mobile shelves, I was hiding out with the stacks randomly picking up any book that caught my eye. Even in the normal collections, there are so many treasures to unearth, so many discoveries that could inspire!
It’s been a while since I’ve spent any real time at a library, and I think I’m LONG overdue for a visit. Plus, I just watched the fantastic Design Sponge Series “Design by the Book,” Where 5 NYC artists meet with a research librarian at the New York Public Library to get inspiration for their next projects. Watching the 4-part series definitely got me all fired up to get back to the library, reminding me of all the reasons why I love it in the first place!
