Another example of how blessedly old fashioned the library operates sometimes.
Behold the wooden book truck.
There are some metal book trucks around but they're the exception, not the rule.
And I don't have a good reason as to why some people refer to them as book "trucks". I've also heard book "carts", but again, that moniker seems to be the exception.
Book trucks they are, at least in my corner of the library world.
A collection of Daniel Boone books.
I like how they've put little illustrations on the spines, just in case you weren't sure that Daniel Boone was the guy with the horse and the hatchet.
Another dictionary photo.
Yesterday I was reminiscing about my old proofreading days and I had a typo. Egads!
I felt like a kid showing off, but failing at it. If you look closely at today's photograph, you can see a charming illustration of some little girl shoes.
Actually, I like mary janes enough to wish I still had the occasion to wear them. I think the squeaking noise patent leather shoes make when you walk in them would be a good counterpoint to the enforced silence of the library.
There are book stands scattered throughout the library, all holding dictionaries.
I cannot imagine life without a dictionary. We have two or three at home and I refer to them all the time. I worked as a proofreader before coming to the library and when I'm walking from floor to floor, coming across a dictionary is like a chance meeting with an old coworker. Hello there!
And when the query, "What book would you want to have if you were stranded on a deserted island?" is posed, I'm always disappointed when people choose the Bible. Not that I have anything against the Bible, it's just that I find the dictionary more exciting, more comforting.
One of my goals in life to own my own copy of the OED, the two volume, slipcovered version, complete with magnifier.
Stairs. There's a lot of them in my library.
Up and down.
The Daily Library is taking a brief vacation and will return on Monday.
Happy Reading!
It's pouring rain today and there are leaks throughout the library. This older building shows its age during rain. On the first floor, near the newspapers, is a veritable waterfall, pouring right through the ceiling.
Which is why today's picture is of a sunny afternoon. This was taken on the 8th floor.
I love the stacks, they look like trees in an orchard, so orderly and upright.
One of the first things I noticed about the stacks when I started working at the library were these great blocks of color, shelf after shelf of identical books, all bound in the same jackets and a uniform color.
This block of books contains issues of the Michigan Law Review, all in black.
Sometimes I can't figure out why our library has a particular collection. The university doesn't have a law school, and California is a long way from Michigan. I'd have to do some investigating as to why our collection is so large. Maybe it's just a really great law review.
Ah, the after hours book return.
I am so in love with this typeface.
I also think that it would make a great name for a nightclub.
"Hey, where are you going tonight?"
"Oh, nowhere special, just dinner and then we'll swing by the After Hours for a martini or three."
This little stool lives in the microfiche area. It looks just like a little crab, perfect for scooting around gigantic heavy drawers of microfiche.
There's a few of them in that section. I've never seen them in use, but whenever I'm near them I just give a gentle push with my foot. They really scoot!
Luckily for me, the microfiche area is pretty deserted, so no has yet to ask me why I'm pushing them around. I especially love the color of the seats -- it's an orange that screams 1960's.
