In view of my earlier post about libraries, I'm amazed to hear this. Do You Suffer from Library Anxiety?: “Seventy-five to 85 percent of students in each class described their initial response to the library in terms of fear or anxiety.”
Public libraries, for me, were far different than school libraries. The librarians in the public schools I attended were hard people to deal with and were often very cross. School libraries were not sanctuaries.
It's been roughly 55 years since I first started exploring a library by myself, but the feeling I had was not anxiety but more along the lines of "Hokey smokes, there IS a heaven!" Granted, after they remodeled and expanded the university library by about 60%, I felt like I was walking into something out of Star Trek, but that's not the same feeling at all. Some librarians are more reserved than others, but I've never encountered one who was anything but helpful, and some went far beyond the call. "Library anxiety" seems to be the province of those who grew up thinking everything worthwhile could be found on a video screen.
Back in the 50s, my family didn't have a TV. I got hooked on adventure fiction and SF by reading books my Dad had brought home from the library. While he was at work, I was able to sneak his books. The first two adult books I read thusly were "King Solomon's Mines" by H. Rider Haggard, and "The Stars My Destination" by Alfred Bester. I loved both of those (still do) and developed a lifelong addiction to both genres. Nowadays, I also love crime fiction, but I didn't start on that by reading Sherlock Holmes until a few years later.
Later, I got my own library card. I was the weird kid who loved summer vacation because I could walk to the library whenever I wanted. Mom had to yell at me to go outside and play because I just wanted to read all the time. I fooled her -- I found a 2x10 plank and a hammer and a couple of nails and hauled them up into a tree. I nailed the plank across two branches. Presto, I had a terrific reading spot outside!
Now I am 67 and in a much different town, but I am lucky to live in the third house down from the library. I would go broke (buying books) without that place. I'll never move; they'll have to haul me out of here...
Ronald Tierney--I spent most of my library time at the Hilton U. Brown branch on East Washington, but also a fair amount of time downtown...it's likely we were in the central library at the same time at some point.
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On the contrary, the Indianapolis Central Library was my sanctuary.
Public libraries, for me, were far different than school libraries. The librarians in the public schools I attended were hard people to deal with and were often very cross. School libraries were not sanctuaries.
Is there an antonym for that? Like "Librariphoria" or some such?
Sssssh! Quiet please!
It's been roughly 55 years since I first started exploring a library by myself, but the feeling I had was not anxiety but more along the lines of "Hokey smokes, there IS a heaven!" Granted, after they remodeled and expanded the university library by about 60%, I felt like I was walking into something out of Star Trek, but that's not the same feeling at all. Some librarians are more reserved than others, but I've never encountered one who was anything but helpful, and some went far beyond the call. "Library anxiety" seems to be the province of those who grew up thinking everything worthwhile could be found on a video screen.
Back in the 50s, my family didn't have a TV. I got hooked on adventure fiction and SF by reading books my Dad had brought home from the library. While he was at work, I was able to sneak his books. The first two adult books I read thusly were "King Solomon's Mines" by H. Rider Haggard, and "The Stars My Destination" by Alfred Bester. I loved both of those (still do) and developed a lifelong addiction to both genres. Nowadays, I also love crime fiction, but I didn't start on that by reading Sherlock Holmes until a few years later.
Later, I got my own library card. I was the weird kid who loved summer vacation because I could walk to the library whenever I wanted. Mom had to yell at me to go outside and play because I just wanted to read all the time. I fooled her -- I found a 2x10 plank and a hammer and a couple of nails and hauled them up into a tree. I nailed the plank across two branches. Presto, I had a terrific reading spot outside!
Now I am 67 and in a much different town, but I am lucky to live in the third house down from the library. I would go broke (buying books) without that place. I'll never move; they'll have to haul me out of here...
I saw Library Anxiety open for Bowie.
Heckuva show.
Ronald Tierney--I spent most of my library time at the Hilton U. Brown branch on East Washington, but also a fair amount of time downtown...it's likely we were in the central library at the same time at some point.
It's a small world after all.
My children don't go to the library very often. My wife checks out stacks of books and brings them home to the children.
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