The Library

Which outdated technology do you miss the most, and why?

Alexandria. Library of Congress. Admont Abbey. Bodleian. Vatican.

Monuments. Gardens of knowledge, from which grow trees of wisdom. Places stunning, quiet, elegant.

I’m infatuated with beautiful libraries, in a similar way to my infatuation with beautiful churches. The respect for knowledge, for quality, for peace, that can’t be compared to the majority of modern library construction.

This magnificent beauty is now replaced by ugly boxes, drab interiors, and trashy grocery store shelves. Practicality has become the name of the day, but practicality inspires no one to seek knowledge.

I hated the library growing up. It was ugly, grey, and boring. The books were always in appalling condition, even the adults copies. Lazily organized by people who didn’t even want to be there.

I’ve dedicated myself to gathering my own private library. My aim has been to gather as many beautiful, well bound books as I can. Classics, histories, philosophy, theology, essays, poetry. Most likely I’ll never get to finish all the books I collect. If I’m lucky, maybe someday I’ll get to put them in a very beautiful building, that is quiet, reverent, peaceful, and inspires great minds.

Maybe by then we’ll have started appreciating libraries again.