As someone who used to work in the Sydney Jones Library, (and who also abandoned a PhD while a mature student), I really loved your post. There are definitely lots of wonderful treasures sitting on those shelves and I would often despair at the number of students ( a different generation of library users, I know) who failed to see the library as anything other than a noisy social space and a place to leave their trash, and who rarely took a physical book out. So I am very glad you are enjoying all the good aspects of what a university library can be.
Hello and very good to hear from you. The library staff there now have been unfailingly helpful and interested in my devotion to books too. As for the students, you’re right about the noisy social space, but I wonder if that’s because so many other actual social spaces have been sacrificed for other uses? When I was a boy student in the Eleanor Rathbone Building, for example, there was a large common room for us there on the ground floor, that had become an admin office by the time of my return. So the nearest alternative was the library. Hence, for me, the headphones and the playlists. But also, the quiet but immense joy of going in there on almost empty Sundays, sat on the floor with all I want to look at around me.
Absolutely - early mornings are lovely and quiet too. As are the summers. As past staff, I also get an alumni card that I treasure - lifelong access to the space and books which is a treasure indeed.
Thank you Ronnie for another wonderful post. So richly described it makes me want to revisit my former university library, but that’s five hours away! I too regret the fact that my results didn’t reflect the brain that was inside me, that I was always too distracted by coffee breaks chatting to friends. Yet the memory of sitting in the library surrounded by my reading list, just me, my pen and paper to make sense of it all in the quietness and the concrete tower of knowledge. It’s not the results, but the process itself I enjoyed. Yes I wish I’d focused more but I did the best I could with the tools and knowledge I had then. If I were to do it all again it would be different, but then again so would I. I’m pretty happy with myself in truth…with all my flaws, so no time travelling for me.
Thank you Ann. I’m glad to hear my story has brought back so much of what was best about your own. For myself I think I could still be there now trying to do that “focussing more” on the PhD, and I still wouldn’t want or be capable of writing in fluent academic!
I confess I envy your spot in this library. I once took an admin job at Southbank University and the free library ticket was a huge bonus each lunchtime! I have been waiting for you to reach The Mill in the Floss, my favourite George Eliot, which first read as a teenager. Her ghastly aunt was so like mine, I felt great kinship with Maggie! Such a rich and lovely read, Ronnie.
I’m 60 pages from the end of it now, and so have slowed my reading rate right down. I sort of read it when I was a teenager too, but in a hugely abridged version that was a class project one year and must have missed out most of the dialogue, social manners and set pieces (like the charity sale in the village hall) out. But it did have the ending, so I know what happens. But really there’s a story on every page. Like even in the village hall, where she writes a very modern sounding analysis of what’s wrong with a society relying so heavily on charitable donations to feed and clothe its poor.
I loved the playlist, Ronnie, thank you and it will become a regular companion. How I love this book. I am so grateful to the English teacher who chose it as our class text and thankfully it was the unabridged version! I remember being entranced by it even then but reading it now it is a much richer experience. In case you don't know it, this "A Scandalous Life" is worth seeing. I can only find a version with Greek subtitles but it is still worth seeing. This is the first episode https://youtu.be/Dl0ZUnGchHE?si=oeZwZie_bp-hHwa8
Loved reading this,Ronnie! Very pleased you sound so happy and content. And,glad to read at the end that your heart is in reasonable shape! I envy you - in the nicest possible way! - that life.ong library ticket and your Emeritus student title…both well deserved.🩷
As someone who used to work in the Sydney Jones Library, (and who also abandoned a PhD while a mature student), I really loved your post. There are definitely lots of wonderful treasures sitting on those shelves and I would often despair at the number of students ( a different generation of library users, I know) who failed to see the library as anything other than a noisy social space and a place to leave their trash, and who rarely took a physical book out. So I am very glad you are enjoying all the good aspects of what a university library can be.
Hello and very good to hear from you. The library staff there now have been unfailingly helpful and interested in my devotion to books too. As for the students, you’re right about the noisy social space, but I wonder if that’s because so many other actual social spaces have been sacrificed for other uses? When I was a boy student in the Eleanor Rathbone Building, for example, there was a large common room for us there on the ground floor, that had become an admin office by the time of my return. So the nearest alternative was the library. Hence, for me, the headphones and the playlists. But also, the quiet but immense joy of going in there on almost empty Sundays, sat on the floor with all I want to look at around me.
Absolutely - early mornings are lovely and quiet too. As are the summers. As past staff, I also get an alumni card that I treasure - lifelong access to the space and books which is a treasure indeed.
Thank you Ronnie for another wonderful post. So richly described it makes me want to revisit my former university library, but that’s five hours away! I too regret the fact that my results didn’t reflect the brain that was inside me, that I was always too distracted by coffee breaks chatting to friends. Yet the memory of sitting in the library surrounded by my reading list, just me, my pen and paper to make sense of it all in the quietness and the concrete tower of knowledge. It’s not the results, but the process itself I enjoyed. Yes I wish I’d focused more but I did the best I could with the tools and knowledge I had then. If I were to do it all again it would be different, but then again so would I. I’m pretty happy with myself in truth…with all my flaws, so no time travelling for me.
Thank you Ann. I’m glad to hear my story has brought back so much of what was best about your own. For myself I think I could still be there now trying to do that “focussing more” on the PhD, and I still wouldn’t want or be capable of writing in fluent academic!
Ps I have saved the playlist for later in the studio!
I’ll imagine you there, speeding up for the Boccherini, then slowing to a steadier flow for the Fanny Mendelssohn.
I confess I envy your spot in this library. I once took an admin job at Southbank University and the free library ticket was a huge bonus each lunchtime! I have been waiting for you to reach The Mill in the Floss, my favourite George Eliot, which first read as a teenager. Her ghastly aunt was so like mine, I felt great kinship with Maggie! Such a rich and lovely read, Ronnie.
I’m 60 pages from the end of it now, and so have slowed my reading rate right down. I sort of read it when I was a teenager too, but in a hugely abridged version that was a class project one year and must have missed out most of the dialogue, social manners and set pieces (like the charity sale in the village hall) out. But it did have the ending, so I know what happens. But really there’s a story on every page. Like even in the village hall, where she writes a very modern sounding analysis of what’s wrong with a society relying so heavily on charitable donations to feed and clothe its poor.
I loved the playlist, Ronnie, thank you and it will become a regular companion. How I love this book. I am so grateful to the English teacher who chose it as our class text and thankfully it was the unabridged version! I remember being entranced by it even then but reading it now it is a much richer experience. In case you don't know it, this "A Scandalous Life" is worth seeing. I can only find a version with Greek subtitles but it is still worth seeing. This is the first episode https://youtu.be/Dl0ZUnGchHE?si=oeZwZie_bp-hHwa8
Loved reading this,Ronnie! Very pleased you sound so happy and content. And,glad to read at the end that your heart is in reasonable shape! I envy you - in the nicest possible way! - that life.ong library ticket and your Emeritus student title…both well deserved.🩷
Thank you Liz, I’ve surprised myself this past couple of weeks with what a kindly thing time can be.
Good to read about the changing experience of the ‘mistake’ Ronnie. Something George Eliot knows a lot about. Glad you are happy in there!
Thank you Jane. George Eliot’s been a definite influence on my change of heart and mind.