The Library

Over the past few years I have read many articles both in print and online that claim that libraries in England are dying due to their lack of relevance in today's world, and how they must evolve in order to stay alive, but saying that libraries are now irrelevant in today's world is like saying that knowledge has become irrelevant. I don't believe that the library is any more irrelevant than a book is irrelevant in general to a bovinous person. The best gift that I was ever given was a humble library card, it unlocked a journey of learning and fascination and gave me a quiet home away from home where I could sit in peace and breathe in worlds unknown. The amount of time I've lost between the pages of books is incalculable, but the knowledge and wisdom I've gained from reading them is also.

The argument is that they are irrelevant in today's world due to the rise and power of the internet. Whilst I agree that the internet is an easy and convenient tool to find things and better oneself, to use only that tool is akin to opening a tin with nothing but a spoon. There are great online places to read books and storefronts such as Kindle are amazing; the ability to carry an entire library in your pocket no matter where you go is truly great and it has caused a big resurgence in people reading literature which could only ever be a good thing. For me though, they don't offer the same feeling as reading an actual book; playing golf on a computer and actually playing golf are vastly different and so is reading.

A physical book is more than just a collection of words strung together to make a whole. It ages, creases, discolours, stains, and develops a smell. It becomes a part of our lives and a part of our belongings, the sight of your favourite book's heavily creased spine can remind you of the story contained within and the book ceases to be a collection of bound words and becomes a personal treasure. The smell of an aged book can be almost choking, anyone who's been to an old bookstore will know the smell of which I speak. An old dusty book can bring back the memories of reading it and suddenly you can recall a tale you'd long forgotten, it washes over you like the tides of the ocean and briefly envelopes you.

A part of that memory that washes over you is normally the setting in which you read it. I've read in the bath, snuggled up in bed, in a tent during a rainstorm, on a long car journey, and my favourite, by candlelight during blackouts. Reading poetry by candlelight is one of the most soul-soothing things I've found, apart from writing itself. Self-education is an amazing boon to learning, it gives you the ability to hone many skills for free without any borders and without the strings of any formal education.

Books may be nothing more than mere paper, and that is true, but then so is a university degree and unlike universities, libraries are for all; no matter your age, race, religion, gender, or financial situation. they're a peaceful haven where you can discover great things and educate yourself… and the only key that's required to enter this magical realm is that humble piece of plastic that says "library card".