Random Musings

Hello all!  We had a couple of days without the computer and it was pure misery!  The hard drive died and the Mac dude had to pop in and get us up and running again.  Phew!  I never realized how much we rely on technology to get us through the day.

Remember the good old days when you had to actually get in your car and drive to the library if you wanted to research a particular topic?  There was no Google, no Bing, no Internet.  There was no instantaneous resolution of the daily conundrums that popped up unannounced in our brains.  Who hosted the 1985 Academy Awards?  What was the name of that movie, directed by that guy, about that thing, with that girl, who worked for that place?  Where can I find a deal on a pair of Manolo Blahnik strappy sandals in red?  Instead, the questions were harder and the subjects more profound, because we actually had to do a little more planning and exert ourselves to satisfy our quest for knowledge.  The only answer at that time was The Library.

Though it seems inconvenient nowadays and though it has been years since I have paid a visit, there was always something intoxicating about stepping through the front doors of the library.  The immediate visual impact of row upon row of majestic wooden shelving housing thousands of books on every subject imagined, was powerful and exciting.  I remember breathing in that heady scent of paper and ink that left promises of undiscovered knowledge floating in the air and being entranced by the possibilities of it.  With a sense of determination, my search invariably began by hoisting a heavy card catalogue sleeve out of its slot, and flipping through the index cards to find the one book that held the answers to the questions that were rattling around in my head on that particular afternoon.  I would carefully jot down the information onto a scrap of paper and carry it like a treasure map to locate my destined tome, not sure if the outcome of this hunt was going to be successful or not.  I remember feeling that momentary flash of "Eureka" when my book and I were finally united, or that sudden rush of disappointment when I would discover that my book had been whisked away by another.  Whatever the outcome, I was happy to start the hunt again.

Now, I realize that the age of technology has probably significantly changed the library experience over the years.  I doubt that there are still heavy card catalogue sleeves to hoist, and most likely a quick hunt and peck on a keyboard is all that's needed to determine if a book is available, but I do enjoy waxing nostalgic from time to time.  Perhaps a visit to reacquaint myself is all that's needed to satisfy an urge for a more tangible literary experience that doesn't simultaneously empty my wallet ala Borders or Barns and Noble.  Funny how a momentary lapse in computer accessibility could result in such a rambling ode.  Hmmm...now where did I put my library card...?

Thanks for sharing in my musings.  Tomorrow I will return with a card ;D