Wednesday, February 21, 2007

Pacific #69, 2/20/07

Hm eh huh what? AH! Oh, sorry about that, I've got a little bit of a cold and it's severely limiting the oxygen to my brain. Today MAY be the day I go out and buy some decongestant, we shall see. But enough about that, I apologize for my overly personal post last time, and if you're expecting that again this time, you can just forget it. I mean...don't worry.

I know I didn't really say anything about the neighborhood last entry's library was in, but it's Crown Heights, which is self explanatory. It's that place Dave used to live, 'nuff said. Also, I believe there was some sort of racial issue between the hasidic jews and the african americans during the 1990s. Moving on. The Astro City books were great, I always love seeing a superhero book that isn't just pointless beatings or an exercise in how fucked up once beloved characters can become. It sounds pretentious, but Kurt Busiek actually made a comic about superheroes that makes you think. So that's neat.

I wanted to go to my next library on Monday, but there was some fake holiday and all the libraries were closed. The past week saw me catsitting for my sister, and yesterday I also had an open house for a masters degree in library and information science program (that's right, someday I may actually BE a librarian), so I knew I if I was going to see a library, it would need to be somewhere between that other stuff (physically, that is. God, I'm incoherent today). The solution was the Pacific Branch. I rolled in there with very little idea of what I would get, and ended up getting something different.

Branch: Pacific
Location: 25 Fourth Ave. at Pacific St.
Transport: I walked...part of the way
Book: The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman by Laurence Sterne
Date: Tuesday, February 20, 2007

After a lunch special in a delightful Italian restaurant (where the older gentlemen also dining there couldn't remember the names of any of the actors or movies they were describing, loudly) I headed over to Fourth Avenue. This library is in one of the busier parts of Brooklyn, so it makes sense that it was the first Carnegie branch of the Brooklyn Public Library system. As such, it has all the trademarks; one large open room, smaller meeting rooms off to the sides, and a mezzanine level with the books they figure people are less likely to want. Well, maybe more people would take out the graphic novels if you had a better selection!

As I've written before, these turn of the century branches are very nice, but they start to all run together. Lately I like the branches that are in newer buildings, because at least they have their differences. But that is a minor complaint, and despite the fact that 75% of the internet machines in the place were being used to check myspace, the librarian called me "sweetie" and they let me use the bathroom (an elaborate process, I had to be buzzed in to an area and THEN use a key), so they're ok in my book. As for the item I chose, I guess there was a bit of hype around this title when the movie came out, and I figured if I can't enjoy a comedic novel from the 18th century, I probably don't have much of a sense of humour.

As for the becoming a librarian thing, I'll give more details as they arise. Obviously that would give this blog a bit more credibility, which I know all you readers crave. Just think, it could be the OFFICIAL blog of the Brooklyn Public Libraries. Crazy. A note on the pictures: If you know Fourth Avenue, you know that even crossing it is a death defying feat. Therefore, the pictures aren't all that good cause I couldn't get far back enough. And now here they are!



Just a guy.



AAA! I'M GONNA GET HIT BY A CAR!!!



Ok library, I'm leaving, you can go back to sleep.

And all of you can as well.

5 comments:

Ruth said...

There's a play about the Crown Heights riots, you should check it out of a LIBRARY! idiot. Fires in the Mirror: Crown Heights, Brooklyn, and Other Identities

Anonymous said...

I don't know why, but I got a big kick out of the term "internet machines." Also, the british spelling of "humor." Very classy.

Mikey B said...

who's an idiot!

DP said...

Village Idiot
C'mon baby light my fire
Ruth needs a hobby.

Anonymous said...

Librarian eh? That's cool!