/lit/ - Literature

The libraries here are for bums to warm their putrid feet, ex-cons from the nearby heroin-soaked men's shelter to browse the Internet for porn and online gambling instead of jobs, and high schoolers to study. All that happens when I go there is I stare at the teenagers' thighs and think about how I want to die.

My little carnegie library in the university district, Seattle. no college kids actually come here because the campus ones are way nicer. So, bums and 5 minute bathroom limits mostly.

Butler Library at @ Columbia

>>8396504

Jesus christ why dont they remove that graffiti???

The one sure way to attract graffiti is by not removing graffiti.

>giving this personal info on internet
:s

>>8396483
Mine is in an old factory hall with bad lighting. Not particularly comfy.

>>8396483
That's a pretty snazzy library you got there.

I try to visit min often. The building is hideous, and up close the rough concrete pillars are piss stained (the homeless often pitch tents across the street.)

>>8396857
pls be gentle to me senpai

The one closest to me is very small and doesn't have a proper selection of books in english.
Also all the seats are garbage and the lighting gives me a headache.

Ugliest, most spacially wasteful building in the city. Kinda fun to wander the stacks, though.

Capitol Hill branch is gorgeous. Wish I still lived in the city just to visit there.

Oh man you should see the closest library in my town, it's the size of a takeaway/cornerstore. The books are all kids books as well because no one reads here lmao

>>8396483

the mothership

>>8396490
>All that happens when I go there is I stare at the teenagers' thighs and think about how I want to die.
This hits close.

>>8396504
that graffiti is triggering jesus christ

If I was ever a dictator, I'd be at risk of making a law to have taggers shot on site

>>8397168
somehow reminds me a little bit of my uni´s library

>>8397223

Looks pretty depressing desu. The majority of Brutalist buildings look ugly as sin.

>>8397168
How many monuments to Borges does it have?

>>8397206
Tbqh that would only encourage them more, and when you end up killing some - fair warning or not - the hypocritical first world will be on your case
>muh bloodthirsty dictatorship
You need to have people ready, lurking in the shadows, ready to immediately bag and discretely dispose of any sprayers.

nothing, the closest one is like an hour away.

>>8397250
How about my uni's library, aka the turkey? I like it personally.

>>8397267
Yeah, I wasn't trying to imply it would necessarily be effective, rather that my emotions would probably get the better of me. Good alternative strategy though :^)

>>8397284

Yeah, that looks a lot better. Thing is, Brutalism isn't inherently bad, it's just very easy to get wrong. At least in my opinion.

Its probably only in america is like that. I live in third world country and library in my city is fucking great i take 90% of what i read there and i read a lot of different shit. Most of classics are there, only lacks are with books in original language, with some degenerate yet interesting modern prose and lack of contemporary philosophy. Its still great tho

It's a private library but I mainly go here. I do not like my university library - they're slowly making it into a 'multimedia space' so are shoving in more computers and hiding the books away.

>>8397525

What is a "private library"? Do you have to pay a subscription or something?

>>8396857
there is no more personal info here than in the goodreads threads

It's pretty comfy, except there's secret government holding cells underneath it.

>>8397525
Dafuq is a private library? Is it the kind full of rare books you have to make appointments to see?

Here's mine- it's pretty ugly but a lot of the photos I found somehow make it nice. Up close the rough concrete smells delightfully of piss. There is sometimes a lot of homeless tents across the street but they don't often bother anybody.

>>8397542
Awoops I forgot the photo.

>>8397529
Yes, a yearly subscription. As I'm a student it's only £60 a year so I don't mind paying that for a really good library. The other thing (which might not be the case for other pirvate libraries) is that you have to be accepted by the current members before you can join.

>>8397206
>If I was ever a dictator, I'd be at risk of making a law to have taggers shot on site
I'd do the same tbfh
I hate niggas who ruin the streets with graffiti. The worse part is that they complain when the government removes the graffiti

>>8397550

>The other thing (which might not be the case for other pirvate libraries) is that you have to be accepted by the current members before you can join.

Did they quiz you?

The library in my area is about a five minute's walk away, but it never has what I want to read, just whatever books are on the public school curricula and the popular genre fiction, with a disparate and useless collection of non-fiction books. No Joyce or Dostoyevsky or other classics, and what they do have always needs to be transported from elsewhere in the county. It's a dimly lit and thoroughly depressing building that doesn't look like it's been renovated since the '70s and I try to avoid it as much as I can. There's only one book store in my county and it's about as useful as the library, so I usually end up ordering books online.

>>8396483
My city has a couple public library's within easy driving distance of me, but I never actually visit any of them because I'm a colossal shitstain

>>8397542
>There is sometimes a lot of homeless tents across the street
Every single time I've been there I see the homeless tents. Pretty recently I decided to visit this library for the first time and I was impressed.

Didn't expect to see this on /lit/, though

My citys central library is very small and isnt open for a huge amount of hours. If it was aobut 2 to 3 times bigger and open a lot more then I would find it a comfy as fuck place.

My nearest university library is open for longer but has a really open plan layout that triggers my autism and I dont like to be in any part of it except the small silent study rooms. It will also be filled with chads and staceys during term time which will be soul crushing.

My universitys old library was old and mouldy looking, cramped, with not a lot of deks but somehow always having space because Chads and Staceys and normies in general never went there. I loved that place but they demolished it.

>>8397615
>Chads
>Staceys
>normies

>>8397604
The area of the city it's in is getting gentrified (East Village soon to get it's own sign, fancy high rises being built) so I think the homeless people there have less and less places to go. Sad, but yeah it's a good library.

>>8397565
Yeah, they want to know about you and why you'd be a good addition to the community in the library.

>tfw brazilian
>no public library

I live in a upper class suburb and the library here is great, everything I need can be delivered to me. I perfer my kindle though

You all niggas can't even compete with Minsk Death Star.

>>8397541
Where is this? Looks like a rebuilt colloseum.

American libraries are so cool.

>>8397541
if they're secret, how do you know about them?

>>8396483
sup

>>8397206
>>8397564

Just for you I'm getting out and doing some tags tonight

haha I aint even good at it and my shit is ugly as fuck. Maybe ill do a plebeian as fuck /lit/ reference

>>8399304
hell yeah nyezalezhnasc

>>8399522
But why? Graffiti makes everything ugly.

>>8399538

For the thrill of jumping fences and running from cops mostly I guess. Also reclaiming some of the public space that my tax money pays for, and to protest against my government. And I genuinely appreciate the skillful art that can be created with graffiti, although im not at that level yet. I would never do shit like that stuff on that library picture tho, that's just ugly and misplaced.

But do you honestly feel that stuff like pic related couldn't make a concrete jungle prettier?

>>8399549
I admit I exaggerated. I thought you were talking about tagging an already beautiful building like that library. I've seen graffiti that has enhanced otherwise ugly parts of town. That library graffiti pissed me off though.

>>8399549
>But do you honestly feel that stuff like pic related couldn't make a concrete jungle prettier?
I honestly do, yes.
>to protest against my government
Edgy. Also pretty worthless as protest.
>Also reclaiming some of the public space that my tax money pays for
And defacing the public space the rest of us also pay for.
Go buy a canvas or something, tbqh.

>>8399549
>reclaiming some of the public space that my tax money pays for, and to protest against my government
oh i am laffing

>>8399572
>>8399580
True plebs, desu. Graffiti is the only honest artform left.

>>8396483
William T. Young Library @ University of Kentucky

>>8399549
Inventive or artful vandalism is a prerogative of it's own.

I feel you man.

One of 2 major university libraries within 2 minutes walking.

>>8399580
>>8399600

>Edgy. Also pretty worthless as protest.

I disagree. Just like billboards work, my graffiti also works to expose people to a certain opinion.

> defacing the public space the rest of us also pay for.

The "defacing" part is something I don't really agree with in most cases. Yes it is also your wall, but seeing as I pay 0.00001% of this country's taxes, I dont think its unreasonable to claim 0.00001% of its concrete as my canvas.

>>8399714
>my graffiti also works to expose people to a certain opinion
most people don´t recognize your graffiti at all. for them, it´s just like dirt on a wall, could also be just moss or whatever. they don´t give a shit. the only people who give a shit about graffiti at all are "hip hop heads" or whatever you people call yourselfs. the rest doesn´t give a shit about you, so don´t pretend like you or your shit scribblings matter anything.
>claim 0.00001% of its concrete
that´s like me saying that i just park my fucking car in the middle of the street all the time because it´s part of my street. take your head out of your ass

>>8399714
Listen man, I love graffiti but these arguments are weak. You've just gotta accept that you're scum and move on

toronto has a lot of libraries

My hometown's public library is nice but unattractive on the outside, although compared to some of these glass-and-steel monstrosities it's Versailles

>>8399714
Man, when I used to write, we all knew the rules. No churches, no good architecture. If you wanted something in a heaty spot you threw up over a billboard or something, not someone else's art. Hitting on good architecture is basically like crossing a piece by someone way better than you after they've passed away. Show some goddamn respect.

>>8399733

>"hip hop heads" or whatever you people call yourselfs

gave me a good laugh. I might include that in some of my work.

t. HHHC (hip hop heads collective)

I like even ugly graffiti, at least the fact that it exists even if I find it ugly. It adds atmosphere to a place, it's signs of life. I'm not interested in looking at it but urban desolation wouldn't be the same without it.

Besides, sometimes it tells a story.

>Daily reminder that graffiti artists refer to themselves as "writers".

>>8397223
>studying at Bochum University

>>8399818

Are you implying i'm saying that I break these rules?

>>8399626
>implying my diary isn't the absolute pinnacle of art desu

>>8397223
>>8397168
Brutalism was the end of attractive buildings

The inside is pretty uncomfy though.

I used to fear libraries. They work up my social anxiety. I have learned to work against that in recent weeks though.

I visit the library at least once a month. I take a few books out, read them, and then check some more out. I hated libraries because I like collecting books (and I worry if I read a book now I won't want to own it later) but now it's become vital to me. I really, really wanna read books but I currently have no money to buy any and I have no space to keep them. So instead of waiting years to read a book I can go to the library. They don't have every book but they have a lot, even rare ones like Bambi.

My library is honestly not that good to stay at. Libraries are supposed to be quiet yet the kids are so noisy.

It's pre big with a good research section for math and literature
never THAT busy honestly, but so many asians who come a play league and talk
but theres always a quiet corner
soon they're putting a space on the roof for when its sunny, which is never in van
(Vancouver Public Library)

>>8396483
Yeah too bad this library is literally filled with homeless people

>>8400653
Imagine having to try this hard to look European and cultured.

>>8400786
its built so they aren't imagining

>>8396483
Ayyy Seattle represent!

I go to UW and love studying in the Suzzalo library

>>8396731
Isn't it under construction atm? And it's like right next to a food bank so of course there will be bums lol. I live just down the street from there in Wallingford!

>>8400794
I never said that they were imagining the building. Reading comprehension

>>8400794
>>8400786
>americans

>>8397284
no robart's is a shit

toronto public libraries all look good tho

http://urbantoronto.ca/sites/default/files/images/projects/15999/15999-53870.jpg

>>8400833
actually it's in canada ahahahah nice try tho

>>8400943
>americans

>>8397250
>>8400522

What >>8397316 says, there has been a shitload of terrible brutalist buildings but also a few gems.

After midcentury, modernist architecture largely fell into two camps: glass-and-steel boxes that followed the legacy of the Miesian grid, or the Brutalist concrete buildings that were influenced by Le Corbusier’s late work.
While the laconic qualities of the former have gained wide acceptance, the general public routinely disparages the latter’s blunt physicality as socially and urbanistically aggressive.

They’re often misunderstood: “Brutalism” was a poor label an all-too-easy pejorative that suggests these buildings were designed with bad intentions. Brutalist buildings tried to be rugged and direct, more Marlboro Man than Mad Men.

And at least quite a few brutalist buildings are interesting to look at, they are not bland, despite being made from the blandest of materials.


>Druzhba Holiday Center - Yalta, Ukraine.

>>8397592
Same where I live. All the libraries are useless kid drop-off zones and bum sanctuaries, and there's one Barnes & Noble 45 minutes away that is poorly stocked and also full of obnoxious children.

This is why everyone orders books online.

>>8401897
Are you me ? I'm also 45 minutes away from the closest chain book store, but it's a Books-A-Million. There's a used book store right in my hometown but you really can't go in there looking for anything specific because they definitely will not have it unless it's something extremely common.

>>8396483
My library in Vancouver Washington, It isn't beautiful imo but it has a good selection and they keep the computer plebs on the bottom floor while the top is a strictly enforced working/reading area.

>>8402039
also the view from the observation deck is substantial

Pretty comfy

>>8397206
this isnt jet set radio

>>8399549
<%5 of graffiti looks this good and you know it

>>8400806
the inside is disappointing desu

>>8402060
that aint even rutherford though???

>>8402060
Ayy U of A represent

>>8402081
Maybe where you live. I've seen amazing stuff all around LA.

Fuck man I wish my city had a pretty library. It's old as balls. Doesn't have A/C, smells like a wet dog and is generally uncomfortable to be in.

>>8396483
My towns got a Carnigie library. Been going there since I was a kid, it's a cozy place.

>>8397206
>on site

How do I into architecture?

>>8402447
idk i wanna know too.

>>8396846

I was going to say because it's in Spain but it's actually even worse than that, it's in Uruguay.

>>8402088
Ehh the quiet room is perfect for what it is. I like the stone steps too

>>8402184
You must not be westside.

On the library side of things we have it the worst >66% of the people in any library are homeless and boy are they fucked up homeless.

>>8402249
If it makes you feel better, the one in my town is ten times smaller. I'd take a wet dog smell for a few more shelves.