The National Library of Canada...
Aug. 2nd, 2007 07:46 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
I spent most of the afternoon doing research in the National Library of Canada. I've been there before, but not for many years. I used to go when I was an undergraduate at Carleton University, and I remember they made me jump through hoops to get the authorization to go in. I was left thinking it was an elitist place that probably wouldn't let me in.
But, encouraged yesterday by
![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
I knew the National Library had a copy, because I'd got it once on Interlibrary Loan through the Public Library. (But they wouldn't let me take it home. The nerve.) When I asked for it this morning the library expressed doubt. "We don't usually handle that kind of material," she said. "We're mandated to carry Canadian history, you know." I couldn't tell whether she was dissing my unpatriotic study of European history, or apologizing for the library's insufficiencies. I refrained from saying, "How chauvinistic of you." They did, of course, have the book.
Because it is fragile, I had to read it in room 25, wearing white gloves (which they provided), and use of pens is not allowed. Luckily, I'd put a good pencil into my bag this morning, somewhat by accident rather than good planning.
I luxuriated in the place. I'm used to the Ottawa Public Library - a good place, don't get me wrong, but it's crowded with books and people and the air conditioning seldom seems quite right and the librarians are always busy. In the National Library, there is a hush. The air conditioning is perfect - and that's important, since it was (
![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
I loved it. I worked until my eyes started to blur and my brain balked at understanding Anglo-Norman and the muscles of my pencil-wielding hand started to ache.
The good part? My card is valid for a whole year.
Makes me feel, if only temporarily, like the real scholar I want to be.
I took some pictures when I was leaving, just for the fun of it.
First,

Besides being a lovely statue, it has a delightful history.


with the entrance to the National Library to the left of the picture.
The person sitting on the bench is real, not part of the sculpture -
she was waiting for someone to pick her up.
no subject
Date: 2007-08-08 01:23 am (UTC)Indeed. I love the very image of such a thing.
My campus library has a book sale every spring; last year, for one dollar, I bought an unabridged Webster's dictionary, 1960 ... which I recognized as the dictionary that had sat on the pedestel in the main library hall 25 years ago, when I was an undergraduate here. O, the thoguhts it brought to mind!
Well, yes, she was part of the sculpture but not a part the artist put there. I was myself part of the sculpture when I sat there, a little while later.
Hmmm... performance art. Think of a video camera trained on this bench all day. (If people can sell eight-hour videos of a fishbowl, well...!)
My camera lacks settings... One day, when I have a little money, I will get a better camera...
Costco, hm? What I have here that compares -- Best Buy. What would you say to a Canon 5-pixel with zoom lens and settings, for $180 US? I know, still a lot of money. Want me to look into it for you? Remember the Wolverine phone: there could be a great deal out there somewhere, eh?
no subject
Date: 2007-08-08 01:26 am (UTC)I'm not going to buy a camera at any price until I've paid off all my debts!
no subject
Date: 2007-08-08 01:31 am (UTC)Back in the early 1990s, I somehow ran across a program (I think it was on one of the transponders on one of Canada's two ANIK television satellites) showing odd stuff from local cable-TV channels around the world. One from Germany had a film clip for insomniacs, which played all night long: it was a handful of actors dressed up to look like sheep, playing leap-frog with each other from left to right across the screen... nonstop... and it was strangely addictive....
no subject
Date: 2007-08-08 01:48 am (UTC)There are DVD sets I'd like too, but it's like with books: I already have more than I have time to read or watch. This is the time to not buy things.