A dangerous place
11 Oct 2011 Leave a Comment
in Libraries
The air-conditioning growls making the vertical blinds shiver. The catacombs stretch away either side of the entrance inviting and discouraging investigation. This is not a place for fearful cowards who use complacency as a badge of honour. Do not expect to leave here untouched.
Sounds travels distorted in this quiet world of wood, paper and steel. Voices of children sound like conspiring savages mumbling and screaming. The clatter of the bead table is the beating of message in syncopated rhythm. The clicking of keys from a bank of faceless computers replies, passing on the message to the printers and photocopiers that sing their discordant chant.
Secret knowledge held trapped between pages and book cloth, cataloguing details and plastic wrap. Though contained, the knowledge can never be tamed and will spring out and surprise anyone daring enough to take a book off the shelf. Once read, a person is never the same. The knowledge transforms them. For good or ill can never be determined as such things are of humans and not paper and plastic. It is up to the individual to make of the knowledge what they will, the knowledge does not discriminate. But, that they are changed by taking a tome is without question.
Through the catacombs of metal and wood keepers stalk directing, guiding, and administrating the rules. Harsh to the ears of those who break them, the rules keep the knowledge safe for all to use, not just those who feel they are owed the information by right. The information does not belong to anyone but everyone and the rules keep it so.
Bright colours and moulded plastic furniture of the children’s area, the easy to follow signage and comfortable lounges of the reading room could not hide the fact that this is a dangerous place.
