Communal Places for Literary Enthusiasts
Y
The architecture alone is enough to invoke
a gasp of awe. Perched on four corner piers, the six-story windowless building
appears to hover just above ground level. Walls of translucent marble provide subdued
yet sufficient light for viewing while assuring the preservation of the precious
documents contained within. And that’s only the beginning.
As the second-largest academic library in
North America, Yale University’s Beinecke
Rare Books and Manuscripts Library goes to unimaginable lengths to protect its
treasured books. It is not only under constant video surveillance; in the case
of a fire, you have 30 seconds to evacuate before a lethal fire-suppressing gas
floods the area. Any other threat to the priceless collection will cause the
glass and metal cube structure they are encased in to drop into an underground
vault which sucks all the oxygen from the air as it descends. I’m not sure I could bring myself to touch
anything, but what a magical place!
“Walking the stacks in a library, running
your fingers across the spines, it’s hard not to feel the presence of sleeping
spirits.” ~ Robin Sloan
