In HG Wells THE TIME MACHINE the hero travels far into the future. The Time Traveler discovered a simplistic communist society. The Eloi’s every want was produced by the subterranean race of Morlocks. Denied the need to work the egalitarian eden bred ennui into the Eloi. There was no thirst for knowledge and the great library was filled with crumbling books.
Libraries have been a refuge throughout my life. I bored Shackelton’s polar classic SOUTH from the one-room branch library behind my house on the South Shore. My hometown’s main library had two rock records; the Mothers of Invention’s FREAK OUT and the Jefferson Airplane’s AFTER BATHING AT BAXTERS. During college I studied at the Boston Public Library and I am an academic member of the New York City’s Main Library on Fifth Avenue. Its reading room is a treasure, even if requested books are not ordered by the Rose Reading Room’s pneumatic tubes anymore, however the entire library is under threat by a new plan to move the three million books offsite.
SUSAN BERNOFSKY from the blog http://translationista.blogspot.com visited the stack from the PEN American Center on a promo tour in favor of the revovation. Library officials touted the move as a protective measure to prevent the books from rotting. The writer saw ‘not a trace of rust on the sturdy and elegant Carnegie steel stacks (manufactured from a grade of steel that isn’t made anymore), and the marble floors holding up the stacks—which also structurally support the Rose Reading Room above—appeared to be in excellent shape.’
To read the entire article please go to the following URL
http://translationista.blogspot.com
This proposed move has nothing to do with the preservation of books, but rather the retail commercialism of one of the world’s greatest libraries. Stores will replace the stacks and a luxury mega-hotel will tower over Bryant Park. Community Board 5 and the Landmarks Preservation Commission are supporting the renovation, which will cost the taxpayers at least $150 million to benefit the rich. Ex-Mayor Bloomberg’s Office of Environmental Coordination declared that the project would have no negative environmental impact on the library.
In contrast those opposed to the plan cite many obstacles not mentioned in the NYPL’s proposal, which has been proceeding without any consultation with the city council or subject to public hearings.
To read more on this scandal, please go to this URL
http://www.savenypl.org/the-truth-about-the-central-library-plan/
The 5th Avenue Library belongs to the people of New York and the world.
Email the Mayor.
DeBlasio is supposedly one of us.
This project will gut the Main Library, whose budget has been slashed in order to grant luxury condo builders tax breaks to house absentee millionaires.
Save the library, because what they take away, they don’t ever give back without a fight.
To see the library scene from THE TIME MACHINE, please go to this URL