Here a Library

Posted March 16, 2018 by ShanTil Yell

This may not come as a surprise to you, dear readers, but ever since I started at SLIS I have gotten really, really into all things library-related. Who would have thought? I’ve been most enthralled by the idea that there are so many different types of libraries that exist. My own experience with libraries before coming into the program was primarily through public and academic institutions, so it’s exciting to see how much else is out there. I’ll give you a few examples…

I was visiting a good friend of mine in North Carolina last week during spring break, and we passed a sign on the highway pointing to the Billy Graham Library. A quick search told me this particular library, a blend of religion and history thematically, was designed to look like a dairy barn mirroring Graham’s upbringing on a farm near Charlotte. We later drove through the University of North Carolina School of Arts campus in Winston-Salem where I caught a glimpse of the gorgeous Semans Library. Yes, this is an academic library, but the modern architecture was stunning and made the building very inviting. It was all glass panels and sleek metal lines, and I have no doubt it would be a nice place to study and probably just exist, in general. Finally, I had the privilege of interviewing a law librarian at a local firm not too long ago. I was pleasantly surprised upon walking in that the library is the first thing you see, and I also got a glimpse into a branch of librarianship that isn’t so well-known or widely discussed.

This is a real short list, but I think y’all get the idea. The longer I’m here, the more I’m exploring and seeing and being exposed to. For me, that’s half the fun of it all!