<p>Library of Congress, Vassar College & Suzzallo Library in Seattle inspire productivity. The photo of the Univ. of Chicago library was disappointing. My son, a football player, wrestler & rock musician, among other attributes, would not apply to a prep school until he saw an inspirational library. Interestingly, the typical top two prep boarding schools also had the most beautiful and work conducive libraries. Although I agree with a prior poster that content is important, a beautiful, relaxing, work inducing environment are much more important to me.</p>
<p>What wonderful photos! I’ve been to the libraries in Salamanca, Spain and Puebla, Mexico, also the Library of Congress, BNF in Paris and UW’s Suzzallo Library. We went to the Royal Library of Belgium a couple of weeks ago, and it is also beautiful. </p>
<p>I’m forwarding the link to a retired librarian friend, and I know she’ll love it. Thanks!</p>
<p>In past years, Vassar has included a photo of its library (the exterior) in the student acceptance packet. It’s incredible how many freshmen share with one another that they hung the poster on their bedroom wall at home … it’s also interesting how the poster of the library is included in the packet rather than a car sticker, tee shirt, etc. </p>
<p>My favorite part of that library, however, is the Great Window and its history:
[The</a> Great Window - Libraries - Vassar College](<a href=“http://library.vassar.edu/about/cornaro.html]The”>http://library.vassar.edu/about/cornaro.html)</p>
<p>dbwes, Olin was constructed not long before I enrolled as a grad student and it was greatly dispised, with most referring to it as the Punchcard(as in computer punch card-now merely relics of the past).</p>
<p>ReneeV: You definitely win as the most traveled on the library itinerary. I’m jealous!</p>
<p>Twinmom, I can’t thank you enough for the link. I’m passing it on to a few fellow bibliophiles.</p>
<p>I’ve been to a few of the libraries and was heartened to see that my favorite made the cut (Trinity College library in Dublin). Unfortunately, I have to say that the pictures didn’t do it justice (the busts in the long room are barely visible). What strikes me, seeing the compendium, is how many of the great libraries look like churches. Entirely appropriate, IMHO.</p>
<p>I too have been to a few…British reading room, Sterling Library and Beinecke Rare Book Library at Yale, Vassar, Wren library at Cambridge…funny how some are all white and light…and others are dark woods and seem hushed just looking at the photos…and then, the ones like the Vatican which are more a temple to books than a real library! </p>
<p>I loved the libraries on our college tours with S#1…Williams College has 1 of each of the original documents that our country is founded on…that was inspiring…Dartmouth has a great reading room at the top of their library that overlooks the big green! </p>
<p>I would say that Spain and Portugal would be the destination of choice if one is going on a library grand tour…all impressive. Thanks for sharing…</p>
<p>Twinmom,
The truth is much less impressive than it sounds. I did some research in Suzzallo’s special collections for my master’s thesis (lived in WA at the time), and I studied in Salamanca and at a university in Guadalajara, Mexico that had a nice but unimpressive library. One of my Mexican friends despised that library at UAG and took me to see the one in Puebla when I visited his family in Cuernavaca. Now I live in western Germany, so Brussels is just up the road a piece…and I tagged along when my daughter and her friend were doing research in Paris for a national history day project (also relatively close to home). So really the only library I’ve visited while on a long trip was the Library of Congress.</p>
<p>But I see from the photos that I should add more libraries to my list of things to see, especially some of the ones in Bavaria and Austria.</p>
<p>The most beautiful library (missing from the list)
The Laurentian Library in Florence (designed by Michelangelo)aka
La Biblioteca Mediceo Laurenziana</p>
<p>Yes, I didn’t see the Michaelango one - I was sure it would be there and the old Bibliotheque Nationale Paris that’s very famous is another one that I didn’t see. [Bibliotheque</a> Nationale - Henri Labrouste - Great Buildings Online](<a href=“http://www.greatbuildings.com/buildings/Bibliotheque_Nationale.html]Bibliotheque”>http://www.greatbuildings.com/buildings/Bibliotheque_Nationale.html) More modern however.</p>
<p>I always liked the Avery Architectural library at Columbia.</p>
<p>Also suprised that Fondazione Giorgio Cini to be missing. In Venice on
Isola San Giorgio Maggiore. Designed by Palladio. Great library for the study of
Venetian art and music.(wrote most of my thesis there)</p>
<p>I think there may be a place on the site for viewers to submit additional favorites.</p>
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<p>I thought the same thing: “Cathedrals of Knowledge!” It was so very wonderful to see these libraries. I kept imagining myself inside them. I’ve been a library junkie since I was a child, and the Williamsburg (Va.) Public Library was located in a space the size of a cottage—actually was a restored colonial cottage located in the historic section. </p>
<p>Thanks for posting that link to those photos, Twinmom. I especially love the soaring spaces with Gothic cathedral windows several stories high. The wonderful light that must pour in! I could spend hours in such inspiring spaces, so conducive are they to mind expansion.:)</p>
<p>Warning-off topic.
I volunteer through my local library as an ESL conversation group leader. A couple of weeks ago we did a session on libraries and spoke about childhood memories of them. It was amazing for me to hear about the differences in libraries from China, Ukraine, Iran, Korea, Thailand, Mexico, etc. A universal theme however, was the childhood excitement of bringing a book home, the smell and feel of it and anticipation of what was inside the covers. When I mentioned reading my new library books under the covers with a flashlight, people were laughing, seems like kids worldwide got into trouble reading those books when they were supposed to be sleeping.<br>
We ended up talking about Kindles and fear the next generation will never have the experience of browsing the shelves of a physical library and not knowing what they will discover. Now to get out and start caucusing-unless my town passes an override, a bunch of library positions and services will be axed with next years budget.</p>
<p>Wow…
Beautiful link.
I think that I saw the Laurentian Library among the pictures, but it was the inside, the so called Reading Room not the magnificent entrance with famous
staircase.
[Untitled</a> Document](<a href=“http://www.wfu.edu/~smitcc5/FYS100/index.htm]Untitled”>http://www.wfu.edu/~smitcc5/FYS100/index.htm)
scroll down to see and read about the staircase.</p>
<p>Thanx for this thread - I am going to visit Prague because of it while on a trip to Europe this summer.</p>