Shelved Knowledge

@much2say (52324)
Los Angeles, California
March 13, 2023 11:52am CST
Every time I visit the library at a college each weekend, I am surprised how there AREN'T many students in there. Alone I peruse through the book aisles . . . like walking through a forest of knowledge. By the covers, I can tell that the books are quite old. Maybe they have not even been read in a long time. All that knowledge sits. Can knowledge get old? Do you have knowledge shelved in your brain that hasn't been opened in quite some time? There was some reason I bookmarked some brain pages ages ago . . . I better blow off the dust and find out what it was .
31 people like this
26 responses
@Jude07 (170)
13 Mar
I'm not that often to visit library. But in my college the library always have so many student that visited.
4 people like this
@much2say (52324)
• Los Angeles, California
13 Mar
Our local college has a bunch of students in the library at all times. It also helps that they actually have a coffee shop inside . It's kinda strange that the other college doesn't have an active campus at least over the weekend.
4 people like this
• China
14 Mar
Knowledge never gets old and the more you read ,the better ! We have a saying :It is when you are using what you have learned from books that you wish you had read more books than you have.
3 people like this
@much2say (52324)
• Los Angeles, California
14 Mar
That is so true. In that sense, there is never having too much knowledge. At my time at this old library, I do try to pull out a few of the books to read . . . even if it is outdated, there is always something to be learned.
3 people like this
@much2say (52324)
• Los Angeles, California
16 Mar
@changjiangzhibin89 There was a time when people said books will one day not exist . . . I hope that never happens. There is something to holding a "real" book and turning the pages . . . I cannot focus on reading on a screen. It is sad that people play with their phones all day . . . so much living is lost . . . it is as if they are oblivious to everything around them. They are more interested in seeing videos and reading posts on social media than reading a book.
2 people like this
• China
15 Mar
@much2say I have lots of old books that I read now and then.Now few people read the real books ,instead, most peopel's eyes are glued to smartphones all day .
3 people like this
@TheSojourner (70407)
• United States
13 Mar
Oh, how I love this post. I definitely have not opened up some of the books on the shelves of my brain... Or in my heart.
2 people like this
@much2say (52324)
• Los Angeles, California
14 Mar
Oh I sure know that feeling too. But, I do believe there are some books in my brain that haven't been written yet . . . that is what I'm trying to work on now .
2 people like this
@much2say (52324)
• Los Angeles, California
14 Mar
@TheSojourner Oh, the past stuff . . . I don't want to write about that . . I don't want to rehash all those emotions. Instead I want to take create something out of the blank pages . . . the "better" stories/knowledge that I don't even know about yet .
2 people like this
• United States
14 Mar
@much2say I have felt very much the same in my life, but can't get over some hurdle to write them.
2 people like this
@LadyDuck (439663)
• Switzerland
14 Mar
I visited the library when I was a student in Milan, I do not go to a library from ages. I find bookmarked recipes in old cooking books and I wonder why I did.
2 people like this
@much2say (52324)
• Los Angeles, California
14 Mar
You may have intended to make those recipes at one time . . . but by now you are way more experienced and can create far tastier dishes . I've always loved libraries - but they are different now than from when I was younger. It's not just about books now. They have everything from computers, classes, shows . . . I suppose they need to stay relevant in order to keep open!
2 people like this
@much2say (52324)
• Los Angeles, California
21 Mar
@LadyDuck Oh, you have your mother's cookbooks ! I remember my mom had a notebook filled with recipes she cut and pasted from newspapers . . . I don't think she cooked a single one of them . Right - a lot of these online recipes are not "original". Anyone can change it a bit and call it their own. I try to cook in my head when reading them . . . sometimes certain things do not sound right. Beware of what we can trust online! We had avoided libraries during covid - even after they reopened. We still don't go to public libraries often (literally go in and out for what we need) - and wear masks!
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (439663)
• Switzerland
15 Mar
@much2say - I wonder if those bookmarks are mine or my Mom placed them. I still like to check the recipes written in the old books, at least those are real, tested and not "manipulated" by thousands of bloggers who modify a few things to make people believe that it's "an original recipe". We only have an old small library not far from us, we never even visited it.
2 people like this
@moffittjc (112855)
• Gainesville, Florida
23 Mar
Having attended (and currently live next to) the University of Florida, I am very familiar with their 11 campus libraries. I too would have thought that in today’s digital age that the libraries would become more like museums, but the libraries at UF are always packed with students. There is enough foot traffic in them that Starbucks has opened coffee shops in most of those 11 libraries. Starbucks wouldn’t invest in opening a location unless they know there’s going to be a high sales volume, so that right there shows how many students are using those libraries.
2 people like this
@much2say (52324)
• Los Angeles, California
26 Mar
Ah, you live in a campus area too! That's a lot of libraries! We live near a Cal State University . . . their library has a coffee shop in there too (not a Starbucks though). In my time there was no food allowed in libraries . But the university we go to on weekends doesn't have much going on on their campus during weekends (Saturdays anyway) . . . last year the libraries weren't even open on weekends at all. And all their food places including their Starbucks is closed all weekend - maybe it's no wonder "kids" don't hang out there.
2 people like this
@much2say (52324)
• Los Angeles, California
27 Mar
@moffittjc I've lived here my whole life - too bad I did not take advantage until I actually got to college. It's been great taking our kids there ever since they were wee ones . . . we try to use the facilities in any way possible too - great place to stroll through. But campuses vary . . . our local one is fairly big with shops and restaurants on the outskirts. The campus we go to on Saturdays is kinda old and smallish . . . past downtown in a residential area. You could go to from one end of the college to the other in like 5 minutes.
2 people like this
@moffittjc (112855)
• Gainesville, Florida
26 Mar
@much2say Thats cool that you live near a university too! I always try to take advantage of university facilities when I can (and when they let the public).
2 people like this
@thelme55 (76861)
• Germany
19 Mar
I don’t think knowledge can get old. It is just inside our brain waiting to be used again. I think some of my knowledge are also filled with dust. It has been ages since I have visited a library.
2 people like this
@much2say (52324)
• Los Angeles, California
23 Mar
@thelme55 Somehow I imagine libraries in Germany to be clean and beautiful .
2 people like this
@thelme55 (76861)
• Germany
27 Mar
@much2say I think so. A clean and orderly libraries.
1 person likes this
@thelme55 (76861)
• Germany
21 Mar
@much2say The same with my knowledge. It must be very dusty I think the library here is the same like yours. I have not been to our library here for years.
2 people like this
@shaggin (70016)
• United States
14 Mar
So much is online now the books may not get as much use.
2 people like this
@shaggin (70016)
• United States
14 Mar
@much2say oh very true. I much prefer turning pages which is why I am going to buy snowy23315 book in paper back. I can’t wait!
3 people like this
@much2say (52324)
• Los Angeles, California
14 Mar
I remember how thick those text books used to be . . . I would just go bonkers if I had to read that stuff online on a screen. But that was a different time .
2 people like this
@snowy22315 (154725)
• United States
14 Mar
I am quite certain I do!!! That reminds me of a hilarious anecdote from my past...true story, I was in a college science class of some sort and we were studying the evolution of horse teeth. One of the kids suddenly says to those of us nearby..."How would we possibly use this? Why do we have to know this?" Without missing a beat, one of the other kids said, "So, you can tell your grandchildren, I've forgotten more than you will ever know.". I thought that was a great answer.
2 people like this
@snowy22315 (154725)
• United States
23 Mar
@much2say Yep, except my grandparents were pretty quiet about the "old days." I think they preferred to live in the present.
1 person likes this
@much2say (52324)
• Los Angeles, California
21 Mar
That's hilarious! Thanks to those stories that are told to grandkids, the knowledge gets passed on !
1 person likes this
@much2say (52324)
• Los Angeles, California
25 Mar
@snowy22315 Interesting - maybe things were difficult in the "old days".
@allknowing (121117)
• India
13 Mar
Not had much experience visiting libraries. When it comes to untapped knowledge stored in my brain may be I should get back to writing poetry
2 people like this
@much2say (52324)
• Los Angeles, California
14 Mar
That would be wonderful for you to get back into poetry! I grew up with libraries, but for my kids, their library experience has been more than just about books . . . now they have computers, shows, classes, films - it's almost an entertainment center.
2 people like this
@much2say (52324)
• Los Angeles, California
16 Mar
@allknowing Just think what would come out if you could remove that block .
2 people like this
@allknowing (121117)
• India
14 Mar
@much2say I have that writer's block at the moment
2 people like this
@DianneN (247305)
• United States
13 Mar
You should try the law libraries. I lived in the library during college, but it seems that anything you need is online. We have a new bookstore in town that we just discovered and love. All the knowledge stuffed into my brain is..... wait, what?
2 people like this
@much2say (52324)
• Los Angeles, California
14 Mar
Oh man, I can't even read law language . I loved hanging out at the library in college in between classes. There is so much to "get" in real life experiences - I wouldn't want just screen reading. It's like the difference between going to shop in a real store vs online shopping . Bookstores . We don't have many of those left . . . the mom and pop ones had to close down . . . the big chains aren't close. And . . . . . . maybe the knowledge in my brain fell out .
2 people like this
@DianneN (247305)
• United States
10 Apr
@much2say Join the club. We have a couple of book stores here and at home. I hope they never close. In person rather than online has always been my thing. Does that include myLot
1 person likes this
@much2say (52324)
• Los Angeles, California
12 Apr
1 person likes this
@just4him (278792)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
25 Mar
I like visiting old books. Their knowledge never gets old.
2 people like this
@much2say (52324)
• Los Angeles, California
26 Mar
Old books are actually pretty cool . . . something about the way it was printed and bound too?
2 people like this
@much2say (52324)
• Los Angeles, California
29 Mar
1 person likes this
@just4him (278792)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
27 Mar
@much2say They have much better binding and more information than updated books.
1 person likes this
@aninditasen (13967)
• Raurkela, India
14 Mar
When in college we hardly used to books that we needed from the college library. Most of the books were taken by our teachers for reference. Yes, I used to purchase my own books to read.
2 people like this
@much2say (52324)
• Los Angeles, California
21 Mar
We bought our own textbooks needed for college, but the rest of the research had to be from the college or any library as we did not have the internet back in that time. Maybe even back then the information (and books) were old - but that's all we had.
2 people like this
@much2say (52324)
• Los Angeles, California
23 Mar
@aninditasen I remember many of the textbooks were so expensive .
2 people like this
@aninditasen (13967)
• Raurkela, India
22 Mar
@much2say I did take books from the college library but had to buy most of them.
2 people like this
@aureliah (24220)
• Kenya
16 Mar
knowledge can never get old. Maybe they are reading online
2 people like this
@much2say (52324)
• Los Angeles, California
21 Mar
Even for my kids, some of their books can be found online. I do think one can focus better with actual books . . . no distractions like online reading where other sites and things can be accessed in an instant.
1 person likes this
@much2say (52324)
• Los Angeles, California
23 Mar
@aureliah The temptations are always there .
2 people like this
@sarik1 (6164)
14 Mar
I like library. i had enjoyed library in college time.i had completed library course.
2 people like this
@much2say (52324)
• Los Angeles, California
14 Mar
I love libraries too. I also enjoyed the library in college . . . a good study and social place (which makes me wonder why there weren't many students there that day). Did you take a course through the library or did you actually take a class about libraries?
2 people like this
@sarik1 (6164)
15 Mar
@much2say In both i have also done the course..
2 people like this
@sjvg1976 (42044)
• Delhi, India
14 Mar
Knowledge never get old.
2 people like this
@much2say (52324)
• Los Angeles, California
14 Mar
How about knowledge that becomes obsolete because of new knowledge?
1 person likes this
@rebelann (107608)
• El Paso, Texas
14 Mar
Heyyyy, better watch out, that brain dust could cause sneezing or worse ..... you know?
2 people like this
@much2say (52324)
• Los Angeles, California
14 Mar
Yah, it could blow all that knowledge outta my brain !
2 people like this
@rebelann (107608)
• El Paso, Texas
14 Mar
Yes, and that too.
1 person likes this
@jstory07 (129804)
• Roseburg, Oregon
16 Mar
Even when I went to college. I never went to the college library. I go to the regular library once a week.
2 people like this
@much2say (52324)
• Los Angeles, California
21 Mar
I liked the privacy of the little study stalls at our college library - so I'd go there and try to be amongst the college crowd. We love our public libraries!
2 people like this
• United States
16 Mar
My brain is filled with forgotten knowledge. Every once in awhile I'll remember something that I didn't know I knew One time I knew the answer to the final Jeopardy question that none of the contestants knew. Even my daughter was surprised that I knew the answer and I think I was even more surprised than she was.
2 people like this
@much2say (52324)
• Los Angeles, California
21 Mar
Oh my gosh that happened to me recently too . . . though now I can't remember what game show that was nor the question . Isn't it funny how some things just pop up into your head? For the moment we are instant geniuses !
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (311820)
• Rockingham, Australia
14 Mar
For anyone studying I guess they use the internet more than libraries. But it's a shame to see books not being used.
2 people like this
@much2say (52324)
• Los Angeles, California
14 Mar
I almost think our generation is much more resourceful because we had these library experiences. Kids today have all this information right at their fingertips, but there is so much they don't seem to know how to do . Yah, these books were super old . . . even if they updated the book selection, makes me wonder what would happen to these old books.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (311820)
• Rockingham, Australia
15 Mar
@much2say I can't imagine them having much value in the future.
1 person likes this
@Dena91 (18266)
• United States
25 Mar
I used the college library when I was in school. Seems I used it mostly through the week and not as much on the weekends.
2 people like this
@much2say (52324)
• Los Angeles, California
26 Mar
Ah, that somehow rings a bell. It was more packed during the weekdays - I guess because everyone was on campus for their classes anyway. Weekends were spent working or getting some fun in!
2 people like this