Jonathan Sims (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
intheeyeofthebeholding) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
fandomhigh2022-09-06 11:49 am
intheeyeofthebeholding) wrote in fandomhigh2022-09-06 11:49 am
Entry tags:
Libraries and Books: Highlights and Dangers, Tuesday
Class today met at Portalocity, and Jon nodded to them and counted heads before they headed off, coming out in a corner of the main room.
"For those of you not familiar with customs here, we whisper in libraries," he began. "Today we're starting out close to home, in case you'd like to visit later. This is the Enoch Pratt Free Library of Baltimore. It's one of the oldest free library systems in this country. Young for the world, but still worth noting. It opened its first branch in 1886. US libraries generally organize fiction alphabetically by author's last name, and nonfiction by the Dewey Decimal system, which we'll go into on another date." Because Jon hated it.
"My understanding is that this particular world has no supernatural connections, so the only danger here should be from a papercut." He paused. "Please don't take that as a challenge. Since you all technically live in Maryland - sort of - you should be able to get a library card. This is a plastic card that the library uses to allow you to remove books from the building. Not all books can be checked out, but the ones that can are usually lent out for a month at a time."
He waved toward the front desk. "Librarians are the other main resource here. They can help you get that card, help you find books, and answer any number of questions about...well, just about anything. Please be polite; their job is dealing with the public, so don't make it any more difficult than it already is."
He thought back over his speech and nodded, satisfied. "Meet me back here at the end of class, or if you have any questions you'd prefer not to ask the librarians."
"For those of you not familiar with customs here, we whisper in libraries," he began. "Today we're starting out close to home, in case you'd like to visit later. This is the Enoch Pratt Free Library of Baltimore. It's one of the oldest free library systems in this country. Young for the world, but still worth noting. It opened its first branch in 1886. US libraries generally organize fiction alphabetically by author's last name, and nonfiction by the Dewey Decimal system, which we'll go into on another date." Because Jon hated it.
"My understanding is that this particular world has no supernatural connections, so the only danger here should be from a papercut." He paused. "Please don't take that as a challenge. Since you all technically live in Maryland - sort of - you should be able to get a library card. This is a plastic card that the library uses to allow you to remove books from the building. Not all books can be checked out, but the ones that can are usually lent out for a month at a time."
He waved toward the front desk. "Librarians are the other main resource here. They can help you get that card, help you find books, and answer any number of questions about...well, just about anything. Please be polite; their job is dealing with the public, so don't make it any more difficult than it already is."
He thought back over his speech and nodded, satisfied. "Meet me back here at the end of class, or if you have any questions you'd prefer not to ask the librarians."