Washington Irving #61, 2/6/08

Well, I missed a month. A whole month. The chain is broken! But, life goes on. Happy New Year and all that. Let me fill you all in on what I've been doing since my last post.

-School has started again. Looks like it will be a lot of work this semester.
-I've been sick multiple times, and even developed a dental condition named during WWI. It's all taken care of now though, and I am easily back up to 80% effectiveness.
-The Giants won the Super Bowl!
-Nobody won Super Tuesday!
-The Wire and Lost have started back up again. Two hours a week of guaranteed meaning in my life.
-I quit the old job, and have a new one. With benefits. Yeah.
-I didn't read the last book I took out, or watch that movie I had. I just gave up and returned them both.

You could say what is the point of this blog if I am not going to read (or otherwise consume) the items I take out of libraries, but it's not really a media review blog is it?!? No. It's about libraries. You might also say there's no point to this blog if I never go to libraries, or update it, and there you'd be right on. So here I am. I picked a shorter book this time? Maybe we can even hope I'll be to another library within this month. It's possible.

As for where I went this time...I more or less threw a dart at the library map, and since it was on my computer screen, I had to get a new display before I could proceed, but as close as I could tell, the cracks seemed to emanate from the Washington Irving Branch.

Branch: Washington Irving
Location: 360 Irving Ave. (at Woodbine St.)
Transport: L train to Myrtle/Wyckoff Aves.
Item: The Road by Cormac McCarthy
Date: Wednesday, February 6, 2008

So, that last book I took out, the one about Chinese immigrants being driven from their homes. I did start reading it, and it was really interesting. It just wasn't really what I was looking for at the time, and once school started up again and I knew I would never finish it with all the enforced reading I have, and I just got sick of renewing the damn thing. But, I mean, if you're interested in that particular topic I recommend it highly.

This branch I honestly expected to be kinda shoddy. I can't say why for sure, I knew nothing about the neighborhood (other than that it is right on the Queens border) but I made some assumptions, and they were totally wrong. The outside of the building is like no other Brooklyn library I've seen, "two-story Tudor revival" according to the website. It is a Carnegie branch, though, so the inside looks like most of the other Carnegie branches, complete with that little balcony part that would let you look down on the whole main floor if anyone but employees were allowed on it.

The selection was solid (though I couldn't find the new non-fiction books), and I was able to pick out a good book that I think I can actually finish. Everyone from Oprah to a bunch of other people have been raving about this book, so it's probably pretty good. I mean, it's post-apocalyptic, about a father and son traveling alone through a harsh, desolate wilderness -- might be just the pick-me-up I need. Plus the author wrote No Country For Old Men. And that movie was totally awesome. I guess this book won the Pulitzer Prize too? So, yeah, stuff. I'll let you know how it is...or will I?!?! Only time will tell.

The other thing about the branch, and this is not the first time I've noticed this, is that they have like 3 computers for both teens and adults, with 45 minute wait times, and at least 4 computers just for kids that weren't being used at all. I'm all for children and whatever, but couldn't they say if there are kids around they get priority, but if there aren't then the computers don't have to go to waste? They probably have all kinds of websites blocked on those computers though...I guess I could ask someone instead of just complaining. How about it, anyone from the BPL system still read this and wanna let me know what's up? Then I don't have to do anything!

All that not blogging for months has left me with very little to say, seemingly. Well, it's quality, not quantity, right? Anyway, I got lots of pictures. LOTS. Dunno if they're any good though.



Here it is, in all its wondrous glory.



There's a couple of schools right next to it. Well, left really. They're to the left.



Seems it used to be called just the "Irving Branch."



That's right, somebody actually took the wheel and put a cinder block in its place. Fascinating!



And, a couple of views from the M-train platform. Here's the Manhattan skyline...



and the view south (I think) down Gates Avenue. It was so weirdly warm yesterday, I think it got over 60. Normally I'd be all doom and gloom and global warming we're all gonna die about it, but it was kinda nice. I'm excited for Spring. On that note, see you soon. Hopefully before Spring.