surrounded by knowledge

Mmmm distraction

I ought to be studying right now... I'm considering this blog post to be writing practice essential to my academic success. I am sitting in Fisher Library (University of Sydney) in one of the top levels, with row upon row and shelf upon shelf of books to my right, and a late-afternoon-slash-early-evening skyline to my left. This is my favourite place to study; it's quiet and removed from the bustle of uni life and all those noisy first-years (not that that's a problem right now, as it's holiday time), while at the same time it provides enough curiosities to stop me getting too bored while I study.

In general, I am quite a fan of

Libraries

for a number of reasons. On a superficial level, I enjoy the ambiance. It is a relief to know that the society in which one lives values knowledge enough not to burn it, though I think the presence of so much recorded knowledge in one place accounts for only part of the appeal. Fact is, the books themselves are aesthetically appealing. The feel and the smell of a book is a tangible bonus to the abstract acquisition of knowledge. Sometimes it's even more satisfying than the knowledge acquired, if the book is rather terrible or just a bit weird.

Another reason I like libraries is that they contain such a ridiculously broad range of books. They cater for every experience from "This is exactly what I was looking for and was expecting to find here," to "I didn't even know that was a thing!" Take this for example:

If I recall correctly, it's about the

..........................................................................................................................................................

Clearly I couldn't remember what it was about. I started writing this post in early July, faltered, and ultimately failed to complete it. But anyway, here it is! I still really like libraries.

P.S. I think it may have been something about Jesuit monks and a hospital. First one to find the book and tell me gets a high five.