European Adventures: Dublin | Trinity College, National Library and Oscar Wilde's Memorial

These photo posts will go roughly in chronological order over the course of our month in Europe, broken up over multiple posts for load time and file size purposes.

Our first stop in Europe took us to Dublin, for two reasons: first, we've always wanted to go to Ireland (and Dublin particularly) and second, it was the cheapest flight option for our departure.

We stayed in Dublin for a week--which, about two days in, we realized was far too long for a city like Dublin, which is actually fairly small. But we were slightly jetlagged, so let ourselves sleep in when possible to adjust to the time change, and we packed as much as possible into our first few days in Europe.

We took a redeye flight from Philadelphia, so we landed in Dublin early in the morning. Plenty of time to locate our AirBnB apartment, get settled, and head out for a tour of Trinity College:

Not pictured: the smell of old books.

And in case that wasn't enough books in one day, we then ventured over to the National Library. Unfortunately, photography's not allowed inside, but trust me when I say this is one of the prettiest reading rooms I've seen, and the library boasted one of the most impressive free library exhibits I've ever visited, centering on Yeats and the history of Irish poetry. Seriously amazing.

A quick stop at the Oscar Wilde memorial in St. Stephen's Green, dinner in a pub... and early to bed for our poor jetlagged souls.

Sequestered Nooks / Serenity of Books

Library App: BookMyne

I recently discovered BookMyne, a library app that offers library catalog services, account services, and book recommendations in app form. How much do I love this app? As much as cupcakes love frosting and then some.

I couldn't exactly say why it is that I so often need or want to access the library catalog, or my library account (check-outs, holds, due dates) when I don't have access to a com puter. But it happens often, and BookMyne is a frequently-used app on my phone (despite the fact that my 2.5-year-old phone is well on the way to the end of its life).

 

I mostly use the app to check how many books I have out, when they are due (or overdue, as the case may be), what I have on hold, how long I can anticipate waiting for books on hold, and what hold titles are available for pick-up. I can also check my account balance (for said overdue books) and renew titles (to avoid said overdue fines).

But the app does much more than that, offering recommendations based on awards, popular titles, and Goodreads accounts. While I don't plan to link to my own Goodreads account, especially given the ever-uncertain future of my account there, I love seeing libraries linking up with existing, robust reader technologies to offer patrons more services:

BookMyne also offers library catalog search by title, subject or bar code (and if/when a book is located in the catalog, you can place a hold on it right there). I love this feature in theory, though I don't use it very often. Mostly that's personal preference: I hate typing on my phone, so avoid activities that require use of that awful tiny keyboard, and the bar code scanner borders on encouraging showrooming, which makes me slightly uncomfortable. But I can appreciate how these tools would be helpful for others, and that libraries are doing more each day to make books accessible to more people.

BookMyne is available for iOS and Android devices and some Android devices, depending on which version of the operating system you have. The nice people that created BookMyne say that an updated app for Android is in the works.

World's Strongest Librarian Giveaway Winner

Congratulations to Amy of Sunlit Pages, who won last week's giveaway of The World's Strongest Librarian. Many thanks to Gotham Books for providing the giveaway copy.

If you haven't already, read my review of this fabulous memoir and get yourself a copy soon!

Book Review (& Giveaway!): World's Strongest Librarian, by Josh Hanagarne

There are two kinds of memoirs in the world: Those that should not be written, and all the other ones. Those that should not be written include all of the memoirs written by people who think their life experiences are somehow unique or important or different when they really aren't, or those who do, in fact, have unique and important and different life experiences but have no idea how to tell people about them in a way that is itself unique, important and different.

Josh Hanagarne's memoir, The World's Strongest Librarian, is neither of these things. It is one of the other ones. It is the kind of memoir that should be written, the kind that needed to be written, and now, the kind that needs to be read. After all, how many books out there are about a 6'7" weight-lifting librarian with Tourette Syndrome struggling with his faith after being brought up in the Mormon church? And how many of those (of which I'd argue there are none, but to be honest, I haven't actually looked) are actually well-written and entertaining and emotional and heartwrenching and otherwise wonderful?

Yeah, that's what I thought.

Which is all a long-winded way of saying READ THIS BOOK. If you love books and their power to shape lives, read this book. If you love libraries and believe in their continued importance in this world (that means not you, Mr. Rosenblum), read this book. If you like interesting people with incredible stories to tell, read this book. If you like memoirs that deal with all of the good bits of love and family and faith and passion and wellness without glossing over the sometimes-heartbreakingly-bad bits, read this book.

"The public library contains multitudes," Hanagarne writes, "And each person contains multitudes as well. Each of us is a library of thoughts, memories, experiences, and odors."

Suffice it to say that Hanagarne's particular library of thoughts, memories, experiences and odors is a fascinating one. Read this book.

If you'd like a chance to read this book sooner than later, today's your lucky day! I'm hosting a giveaway of one copy of The World's Strongest Librarian (Sorry, US and Canadian readers only). Enter by leaving a comment, with additional entries for following. Contest runs through Friday, and I will pick and announce a winner on Saturday after I run 13.1 miles at 7AM in the morning oh god why am I doing this to myself again.

(This is my first time using Rafflecopter, so please bear with me!)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Also follow Josh on Twitter (@joshhanagarne) and/or on his blog, The World's Strongest Librarian.

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Note: I received an e-galley of this title via NetGalley for review, and the publisher, Gotham Books, will be providing the copy to the winner of the giveaway.

The World's Strongest Librarian | Josh Hanagarne | Gotham | Hardcover | 288 pages | May 2013 | Buy from an independent near you

Where would you be without your library?

... Or if your library was only 900 square feet?

This little town in Massachusetts is setting out to raise enough money to build a new library, and this little video that they made get right at the heart of why libraries always have been -- and always will be -- a crucial part of our communities. Enjoy!

(Kudos to Shelf Awareness to sharing this this morning)

The Magic of Libraries

Have you ever wandered into a library and wondered at the sheer magic of it all? The fact that it exists, and that it exists with one purpose in mind: to share the opportunity of reading and of learning with anyone, and everyone, of any and every age, race, class, and gender. At times, I leave the library with a stack of books and think to myself, "Did that really just happen?" A small, irrational part of me is worried that one day I will meet my quota, that the kindly librarians with glasses perched at the ends of their noses will tut-tut at me and say, very quietly, and though it is not the worst news in the world, that I can no longer take books out.

Because really, it's all too good to be true. And while I recognize that the library is not, in fact, free, that it is supported by our tax dollars and by donations and by library sales, it is, in fact, providing everyone in its vicinity with the opportunity to learn and to grow--and to read.

I'm not out to start a political diatribe, really, I'm not. I don't consider myself a particularly political person. But I do consider myself a fan of libraries, and of the opportunities they afford, and it is painful to watch them suffer, and to hurt, and to lose their financing, and to think that others cannot see how detrimental this is for our communities. Dickens himself, the great mastermind of fiction and advocate for justice, argued that the more a man learns,

"the better, gentler, kind man he must become. When he knows how much great minds have suffered for the truth in every age and time... he will become more tolerant of other men's beliefs in all matters, and will incline more leniently to their sentiments when they chance to differ from his own." (Dickens, as quoted in The Man Who Invented Christmas, by Les Standiford)

Is it true? Perhaps. Perhaps it is an overstatement. Perhaps an exaggeration. But does reading open one's mind to new things, new ideas? Of course. And do libraries allow those who could not otherwise afford books an opportunity to read? Of course. Now, if only that were enough.

National Book Festival

We've all seen the headlines lately -- Borders closing, publisher lay-offs, downsizing, cutting costs, etc. Couple the bad news with the fear of the e-book trend, and it's really no wonder that the cries of "The book is dead! The book is dying!" continue to sound. But then I spent a day at the National Book Festival, wandering around the masses and masses of people that had come to hear authors speak, get books signed, and generally partake in an orgy of book love. Despite the rain, and the oh-my-god-it's-like-walking-through-pudding-humidity, and the broken escalators on the Metro, thousands upon thousands of people attended the free-to-all show.

There are those that will argue that any free entertainment will draw crowds, and I agree. But the fact that, free or no, people of all ages flocked to the Mall to celebrate the book tells me that there is still an indelible love for books in all of us. Children were excited to make their own bookmarks and hear authors in the storytelling tent, and adults in crowds ten-deep behind the seated areas of author-speaking tents. I sat for 45 minutes stalking open seats to score three together for Sarah Vowell's talk (I love her).

To me, it doesn't matter how we read, or really even what we read, so long as we continue to read. The National Book Festival was an event seemingly born of this ideal, celebrating the book, its authors, the institutions that support it, and the people who consume it. Well done, Library of Congress.

My Library was Dukedom Large Enough (Quote of the Day)

"My library / Was dukedom large enough." - Shakespeare, The Tempest

Writing Elsewhere: Books Do Furnish My Home

This article originally appeared at BiblioBuffet, a wonderful book-ish site that is well worth a browse if you have a moment and a regular follow if you have several moments. Thanks to Lauren and Nicki for editing and publishing and giving me a shot as a guest columnist.
“What better place to kill time than a library? And for me, what better way to get to know someone than her choice and treatment of books?”
So asks antiquarian bookseller and amateur biographer Margaret Lea in Diane Setterfield’s The Thirteenth Tale (a title, by the way, not to be missed by any booklover out there). While I myself am not an antiquarian bookseller—despite whatever hopes and dreams I may have to that effect—I find that I, too, often wander unintentionally into the role of amateur biographer when studying another’s library.
After all, Margaret’s is an excellent point: what better way to get to know someone than through his or her library? Or —as the case may be—lack thereof? When I enter someone else’s home for the first time, I subconsciously scan the room for shelves, bookcases, the odd title on an end-table with a bookmark in its place.
No bookshelves in the main living areas? Not a reader.
Bookshelves overflowing with college textbooks you refuse to unload? Reads, but only under duress.
Rows of nonfiction, business titles, how-to books, the like? Does not read fiction; or, perhaps worse, finds fiction not worth display.
One small shelf packed with a range of titles? Books aren’t worth the space, but are worth the time.
You get the picture. These may not be fair assumptions to make—and of course they vary greatly depending on a great many factors—but I am telling the truth when I say I cannot stop my brain from following this course.
So I ask myself: If I turned the tables back onto my own library, what am I telling people about my story?
Shelves of books on Irish history, language and culture speak to my husband’s Irish background, and my college studies. Further shelves of history tell the same college story. The lack of any other nonfiction is the most glaring exception here; we both lean heavily towards fiction. Our fiction collection is broken out into shelves of classics and modern fiction (anything written in the twentieth century and beyond), with a special shelf reserved for the Robert Jordan-esque fantasy novels we both devour.
But more important even than the skewing of books on the shelves, at least to me, is the fact that books quite literally litter our house. Our living room walls are lined with the infamous IKEA Billy bookcases, teetering and in one case even leaning quite precariously, all stacked end-to-end with titles; the coffee table shelf is lined with stacks of books and wordy games (Scrabble and the Booklover’s edition of Trivial Pursuit). Books line the window ledges along the staircase, and framed photographs of antique book bindings hang on the walls.
And that’s just the first floor.
Clearly, we are sending a message here. This is in part due to practicality: between my husband and myself, we just have too many books to fit tucked away into any one room. But even if I had a dedicated room for books, I don’t think I could stand to part from them. For mine is a life not just filled with books, but lived among them.
When I bring work home, I sit in our office and stare longingly at the shelves of ARCs (“advanced review copies”) waiting to be reviewed on the shelf. When I watch television, my eyes stray fondly over the well-loved copy of Love in the Time of Cholera on the shelf—the first book my now-husband ever lent to me—and the broken spine of Mark Helprin’s Winter's Tale, which I read the first year I moved to New York.
When I sit down to write, I always sit in the living room, where a glance shows me a row of newly-added titles on the shelf, originally purchased to act as the centerpieces at our wedding. There is Father of the Bride, which we found at a local antique store and sat on my father’s table; there is Love: A History, a slim paperback I have never heard of but will someday read. Each book is a memory, and an open invitation to discover or re-discover some new thought or idea.
My library lives around me, and I in it. What it says to someone else probably lies most in that other person. What it says to me, however, lies in my understanding of the story of each book, how it came to be in my possession; my knowledge of the notes carefully written in the margins of read and re-read favorites; the characters yet to be met in new titles by old authors. My library is a living, breathing, evolving entity, and whatever it says to visitors, to me it says home.

It's Called the Library

And it's there for public use.

Borrow. Read. Pay a late fee or two. Read some more. Repeat.

It's all very simple, really. Find one near you today.

was just thinking. my sister does -alot- of reading, and spends like
$1000 a year on just books alone. most of them she reads once
then never looks at again. is there any kind of like…
video rental store but for books? would make things alot cheaper,
plus once one person had read one the next person can get enjoyment from it etc

[via Fail Blog]

Paradise Will Be a Kind of Library (Quote of the Day)

"I have always imagined that paradise will be a kind of library." -Jorge Luis Borges

Choice and Treatment of Books (Quote of the Day)

"What better place to kill time than a library? And for me, what better way to get to know someone than through her choice and treatment of books?" -Diane Setterfield, The Thirteenth Tale

Because Sometimes, There's Really Nothing to Say About a Book...

From Unshelved, Monday, November 15th, 2010

Ticket to the Library (Quote of the Day)

I've traveled the world twice over,
Met the famous; saints and sinners,
Poets and artists, kings and queens,
Old stars and hopeful beginners,
I've been where no-one's been before,
Learned secrets from writers and cooks
All with one library ticket
To the wonderful world of books.

- Anonymous

(Don't forget, September is Sign Up for a Library Card Month)

September Is Library Card Sign-Up Month

Point taken: every cause known to man now has a month. Some are just downright absurd, but other warrant pause. September, for example, is not only Roald Dahl Month, it's also Library Card Sign Up Month. Though I'd argue that the ALA is desperately in need of a catchier title for this event, I'd also say it's a worthy cause - there's nothing like owning a library card.

Disagree? Don't worry - the ALA has already come up with 52 Ways to Use Your Library Card (one for every week of the year!).

If you don't already have a library card, or have one and just don't use it, maybe it's time to reconsider. If not for checking out books(I'm too much of a book collector-verging-on-hoarder to stomach the idea of returning a book after I've read it), don't forget about other library services:

Free internet, for when your overpriced internet service provider craps out. Again. I'm talking to you, Comcast.

Audiobooks, the perfect companion for travel and commutes. Do you get nauseous reading on the bus? Me too. I check out digital audiobooks from my local library and have them on my iPod for most Bolt Bus adventures. Commute an hour to work? Me too. I have multiple books-on-CD in my car to keep me entertained, with the added bonus of making me almost glad I missed that green light, so I have extra time in the car to find out what happened.

DVDs. This collection will vary depending on library budgets, which are subject to drastic cuts, but most libraries do have some sort of DVD collection. And free is infinitely better than whatever Blockbuster charges these days.

Book recommendations. In a book rut? Ask the experts. Librarians are way smart. I should know, my cousin is one (almost).

Ebooks, although it can be a bit tricky to get the formatting to work properly.

Clean public restrooms. 'Nough said.

And that, dear friends, is my ode to libraries. What am I missing?

Great Bookcase Friday (#2)

A few weeks ago, I posted some pictures of great bookcases from across the web. I've since come across some more great bookcases, so to continue the previous post, here are some more wonderful ways to store your books. Happy Weekend!

This is sort of what my shelves look like now, with books crammed in at every angle. At least here it looks intentional...

Ok, this doesn't actually look like it would be comfortable. At all. I much prefer my cozy armchair. That being said, it's still pretty cool. I wonder if it only comes in hot pink?

For the lover of punctuation in all of us!

Personal Library Kit

When I finish a good book, I am generally struck with an intense desire to share this book with others that I know will enjoy it as well. As such, the majority of the books left on my shelf remain unread, as those that I have read are almost immediately passed on to another reader. Sadly, though, these books have a tendency to remain away from their shelves.

Maybe I should think of this as a good thing - after all, the piles of books around my nightstand and on the floor by my shelf are becoming a danger to my health. But I tend to miss those books I've read, especially when I want to turn back into them. As such, I've begun writing my name in my books (yes, I write in my books... that's enough of a discussion for a separate post, though). I also write the month and year I read the book, just for posterity's sake.

I'm sure you are all wondering where I'm going with this rambling discourse on my booklending habits... but I promise, I do have a point. The point is I have found cold, hard evidence that I am not alone in this. There are others who pass their books along to other readers and would like to one day get them back. For people like us, there is The Personal Library Kit. It really does exist. Really. And it comes with a date stamp, and adhesive pockets, and lending cards, and a "genuine mini library pencil."

Thanks to my amazing roommate, I even own one such kit, and now I'm off to put some stamps on some cards in some books. Or rather, I'm off to ponder which books warrant the precious 20 cards...

Great Bookcase Friday

I don't know about the rest of you, but for me, my books are as much for reading as for decorating. Here's a brief overview of my favorite bookshelves from around the world wide web. I, for one, am setting a new personal life goal: to one day have a ceiling and/or staircase bookshelf:

(This one makes me a little dizzy, but it's cool. I wish it was real though - if you look closely it looks like it's just a digitally-edited photo. The books are bent...)

That's patriotism.

New life goal: books on the ceiling. Talk about optimal use of space.

I can't tell if these are indents into the wall, or if they stick out, but I'm ok with it either way.

Dude. Book staircase... 'nough said.

Bwaaa ha ha. PACMAN.

Happy Friday!

A Hospital for the Mind (Quote of the Day)

In honor of my cousin, who just started library science school (I guess it's genetic), here is this week's Sunday quote:

"A library is a hospital for the mind." -Anonymous

I couldn't agree more. Happy Sunday!!