Highlawn #42, 9/4/07

So, I went to another one. On Tuesday. But I haven't updated until now. Why? Well, school's starting again...no wait, that's on Monday. Well, work...no wait, I just switched to part-time. Let's just say I was getting over the crazy weekend I had? So, basically, there is no good reason. But I would like to add that Dave and I tried to go to the Sunset Park Branch on Saturday, only to find that all the libraries were closed Saturday-Monday for the holiday. Meh. Anyway...Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee was devastating, I recommend it but it really was emotionally difficult to read. The Finder comic was excellent as well, so much so that I decided to get the next volume, and in fact ended up with the next 3. They had the next one at the Highlawn Branch, which is sort of in New Utrecht near Bensonhurst. Since Tuesday is now a class day, it was a day off, so I got on the ol' bike and headed over there soon after waking up. Well, probably not all that soon.

Branch: Highlawn
Location: 1664 W. 13th St. at Kings Highway
Transport: bicycle
Books: Finder: Sin-Eater, vol. 2, Finder, King of the Cats (Vol.3), and Talisman (Finder) by Carla Speed McNeil
Date: Tuesday, September 4, 2007

This was a really nice bike ride. I took McDonald Ave. to Bay Parkway on the way there, ending up under the elevated F tracks for a bit of the way, and then Bay Ridge Parkway to New Utrecht Ave. on the way back, which is under the elevated D line. Yeah! Dodging steel beams and double parked trucks rules. Anyway, the library itself was really nice. It had a completely different setup from any I'd seen, with the building design basically being a circle overlapping with a rectangle (see pictures). The inside had a very new feel, and was well laid out and pleasant. There were many people siting around reading and relaxing, but it was a bit odd that all the children were gone. This was the first library visit I'd done since school started, and it was nice to have it be quiet, but I think I prefer the craziness and life that kids bring to the atmosphere.

I knew I wanted the next volume of the Finder series, but they had the next three so I grabbed 'em all. I wandered around for a good while looking for a novel or non-fiction title that I might be interested in, but eventually just stuck with the comics. I have since read all three volumes and ave to recommend them to anyone with a passing (or greater) interest in comics. The stories definitely have a fantasy bent, but if you can deal with that, you'll see one of the more interesting alternate worlds I've ever read about.

This was the first branch I've been to that had self check-out, which is almost exactly the same as self check-out at the supermarket. Insert your library card, scan the books, tell it you're done, receipt, bam. There's also one employee monitoring four terminals. It's kinda funny, but they had this at the St. Paul Public Library over a year ago (longer, for all I know) and I've been wondering when I would start seeing it here. I'm sure other branches have it as well and I just haven't seen it, but now I've got a confirmed sighting.

I've finally gotten all my errant library books back (long story) so I'll have to be at another library to return them either today or Monday. Won't be long till there's another update, I hope you're here! Now for pictures.



The circle is the big part. The rectangle is the small part.



A closer view. Am I somewhere in this picture? Am I a vampire? You decide.



This guy wanted to know where some cafe was. I was all like, I don't know.



Round...



and angled. That's it for me, I'll be back, maybe even later today. That's right, this is what I do with my Saturdays. Seeya!