A Library Story [Books & Reading]
To what can you compare the intense joy of discovering libraries and how they work? Because I really don't know. I'm 33 years old, and for the first time in my life, I used a library.
It's crazy, I know, to be this old and discovering libraries for the first time, but it just never was part of my childhood. I didn't have access to actual libraries (bookstores don't count), and I never thought to seek them out once I moved out of Saudi and into a "normal" country that has libraries, because I was too busy trying to "lead a normal life." I guess.
At the National Library of Malaysia (Perpustakaan Negara Malaysia), I swallowed whatever potential embarrassment there was in asking for help – I asked the helpdesk lady to tell me how to navigate the library and what are its parts, and then I asked two library workers (are they all called librarians, you guys?) to explain to me how I can find books that I'm looking for.
None of them were that helpful, as they blinked at me and said things I couldn't understand, like "We use the Dewey Decimal System" (and in my head, I was like, ya, lady, I dunno what that is!), and at some point, when I kept asking "Yes, but what is that? Can you just explain it to me, sorry?" and a crowd was forming behind me because, I guess this is the most exciting thing to happen in a place that's supposed to be for smart people? I just gave up and made a mental note to Google "How libraries work" later on when I got home.
There has to be a rule that discourages library-shaming, y'alls. Don't shame me for not knowing!
This bumpy first-time experience was quickly overpowered by the rush I felt when I saw just how expansive the collections they had that were available to me, to check out and borrow (up to 6!) for a month at a time, and I got lost in book-browsing heaven.
Of all the things that people keep forcing me to do, why wasn't this one of them?
I stayed in the library for over 5 hours just browsing through books and ended up checking out 4, grudgingly, too, as I had about 10 in my arms that I really, really, really wanted to read.
In Neil Gaiman's The View from the Cheap Seats, he talks extensively about the importance of libraries and of keeping them alive, and all this time, I would just passively agree with him because I agree with everything that Neil Gaiman says.
But this. This really changes a lot of things for me.
I've always just relied on books available to me (for purchasing) at our bookstores in Jeddah, and on my friends' e-book hoard-repositories, and I'll read just about anything recommended by my favorite writers.
But with access to a library, I can really shape my reading personality, without worrying about financial or availability restrictions.
What freedom is this?!
As I checked out my first ever library-borrowed books, I made small talk with one of the librarians, and eventually asked her to help me find Neil Gaiman books (because, okay). She checked their database and told me my first Library Story:
A guy – she won't mention his name, of course – checked out all the Neil Gaiman titles they had (one of each) in 2012, and hasn't returned them since.
Can you blame him?
It's crazy, I know, to be this old and discovering libraries for the first time, but it just never was part of my childhood. I didn't have access to actual libraries (bookstores don't count), and I never thought to seek them out once I moved out of Saudi and into a "normal" country that has libraries, because I was too busy trying to "lead a normal life." I guess.
At the National Library of Malaysia (Perpustakaan Negara Malaysia), I swallowed whatever potential embarrassment there was in asking for help – I asked the helpdesk lady to tell me how to navigate the library and what are its parts, and then I asked two library workers (are they all called librarians, you guys?) to explain to me how I can find books that I'm looking for.
 |
| Inside the National Library of Malaysia, where I got my first ever library ID! |
None of them were that helpful, as they blinked at me and said things I couldn't understand, like "We use the Dewey Decimal System" (and in my head, I was like, ya, lady, I dunno what that is!), and at some point, when I kept asking "Yes, but what is that? Can you just explain it to me, sorry?" and a crowd was forming behind me because, I guess this is the most exciting thing to happen in a place that's supposed to be for smart people? I just gave up and made a mental note to Google "How libraries work" later on when I got home.
There has to be a rule that discourages library-shaming, y'alls. Don't shame me for not knowing!
This bumpy first-time experience was quickly overpowered by the rush I felt when I saw just how expansive the collections they had that were available to me, to check out and borrow (up to 6!) for a month at a time, and I got lost in book-browsing heaven.
Of all the things that people keep forcing me to do, why wasn't this one of them?
I stayed in the library for over 5 hours just browsing through books and ended up checking out 4, grudgingly, too, as I had about 10 in my arms that I really, really, really wanted to read.
 |
| My first book haul. |
In Neil Gaiman's The View from the Cheap Seats, he talks extensively about the importance of libraries and of keeping them alive, and all this time, I would just passively agree with him because I agree with everything that Neil Gaiman says.
But this. This really changes a lot of things for me.
I've always just relied on books available to me (for purchasing) at our bookstores in Jeddah, and on my friends' e-book hoard-repositories, and I'll read just about anything recommended by my favorite writers.
But with access to a library, I can really shape my reading personality, without worrying about financial or availability restrictions.
What freedom is this?!
As I checked out my first ever library-borrowed books, I made small talk with one of the librarians, and eventually asked her to help me find Neil Gaiman books (because, okay). She checked their database and told me my first Library Story:
A guy – she won't mention his name, of course – checked out all the Neil Gaiman titles they had (one of each) in 2012, and hasn't returned them since.
Can you blame him?
I adore libraries. The one in singapore is awesome, and the staff is super-helpful.
ReplyDeleteI literally grew up in a library because my mom is a librarian (yeah, that's what you call library workers. lol.). As in we take our lunch there, take a nap in a small corner where readers (and their boss) don't see us kids, and do all other stuff as if our mom's office was an extension of our home. Haha! Ah, those days.
ReplyDeleteWelcome to the library! :)