Maybe it's because I spent the better part of yesterday working in the library, but I was suitably entertained by this video re-imagining the opening scene to Ghostbusters, wherein the Ghostbusters team pursue ghosts into the New York Public Library's main reading room. Sure, it was a stunt, but a worth one, to generate publicity for the library's fund-raising efforts (and those are some pretty harsh budget cuts it's facing).
I found the video via Mashable, which also posted a clip of the opening of the original film. The most noticeable difference between the library past and present to me (aside from fashion choices) was that the library today is absolutely overrun with laptops, just like the National Library is in Singapore.
Yesterday I was a little peeved at a library user hogging two power points when he wasn't even referring to any reference books. I'm starting to wonder if popular libraries are going to have to introduce more stringent laptop use policies in their reference sections, so that the people who are actually there to use the books (i.e. resources that can't be accessed off-site or via some kind of secured online network) won't find themselves crowded out of a seat (and power point) by headphone-wearing teenagers playing first-person shooter games.
Labels: Books books books, Life in the internet age, Pop culture
3 Comments:
It's been a few days, and I still have that theme song in my head!!
The library is normally peaceful, but lately, something unusual has been happening. Books have been inexplicably shifting from shelf to shelf, and a quiet whisper may be heard in the evenings. It's both spooky and fascinating, giving the library the feel of a hidden world full of legends and secrets. This might be an intriguing setting for one of the captivating stories included in law essay writers uk chosen collection.
The video reimagining the Ghostbusters scene in the New York Public Library cleverly highlights the growing tension between modern technology use and traditional library functions. While laptops and digital access have undeniably transformed research methods, it's frustrating to see power outlets monopolized by users not engaging with the library’s core resources. For those of us focused on serious academic work, like sourcing rare texts or using specialized archives for dissertation writing services, it can be disheartening to compete for space and power with casual users treating reference sections as internet cafés. Balancing accessibility and purpose is becoming increasingly vital in preserving the integrity of these public research spaces.
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]