Scot Library @ York UniversitySchool has really been kicking my ass recently. I had a moment recently where I looked up from my books at the concrete walls around me, sitting still in the unnatural silence, and really questioned my purpose as a student, the extended periods of time in deep isolation, and racking my brain to understand concepts I will likely forget in 6 months. I figured I would take a break from the dense socioeconomic literature I am used to and take a stroll down the library aisles to find some works of fiction to help my mind wander from the academic straight jacket of social science. I ventured to an aisle almost entirely dedicated to Leo Tolstoy, the great Russian novelist best known for his epic War and Peace. I picked up a few short stories and a novel and got back to my desk for a brief fictional intermission. Tolstoy's knack for storytelling is brilliant and immediately my mind was transported to a happier place. Then it hit me...
Remember Reading Rainbow? Hosted by Levar Burton AKA Jordie from Star Trek? That show was all about how reading doesn't have to be boring and painful. You can pick up a book on virtually any topic of interest ranging from the most surreal fantasy novel to the most scientific, empirical study. How you spend your time in the library is a personal choice, and it doesn't have to always be an exercise in boredom. Just think of anything you might be interested in, there's definitely a book on it. I was surprised to find full picture books on graffiti and street culture in my library catalog but when I walked down to the specified aisle sure enough there they were, just waiting for someone like me to check them out. The library is an abundant repository of information, not just a place to study, so next time you feel the academic blues setting in browse the online catalog for something you might be interested in. You'd be surprised at what you might find. Jordie would be proud.
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