(Crossposted from The Itinerant Librarian.)
Marianne Julia Strauss, et.al., Temples of Books: Magnificent Libraries Around the World. Berlin, Germany: Gestalten Verlag, 2022. ISBN: 9783967040241.
Genre: libraries
Subgenre: photography, travel
Format: oversize, coffee table book
Source:
Interlibrary Loan (ILL) at Hutchins Library. The book came from Lutnick
Library, Haverford College, Haverford, Pennsylvania.
This
is an oversize book highlighting libraries from around the world. It
includes 54 libraries, large and small, and it includes at least one
virtual library. On reading it, I felt the book was very Western and
Eurocentric, so I went back and did the locations breakdown:
- United States: 10.
- Europe: 25.
- Asia: 6.
- Africa: 6.
- Latin America: 3.
- Australia: 1.
- Canada: 1.
- Oceania: 1.
- Online: 1.
I
think the numbers speak for themselves. I honestly wonder if the
editors really could not find more great libraries outside of Europe and
the United States. For example, I am sure Latin America has more than
three libraries that could qualify as a "magnificent library."
In
addition to the library entries, the book includes an introduction by
author and volume co-editor Marianne Julia Strauss. She opens the
introduction and book referring back to the ever popular Borges quote
about imagining paradise as a library. She describes then what the book
covers, such as:
"Temples of Books explores
the history, mission, architecture, and changing role of selected
libraries around the world. The following pages reveal extraordinary
public and private collections, national and monastery libraries,
repurposed engine sheds, and UNESCO-protected mud buildings from Mexico
to Vietnam to Mauritania" (4).
So while there is not
much geographic diversity, the editors do provide a good sampling of
different types of libraries. Each library entry includes:
- Library name.
- Design/designer name/style.
- When/date built.
- Location.
- Descriptive text and narrative about the library.
- A selection of photos of the library.
The
entries vary in length from a couple of pages to five pages give or
take. The text is interesting and informative, though some of the short
entries do seem short leaving the reader to ask if there was not more
that could be written. Text can include a history of the library, who it
serves, and other highlights.
The strength of the book is in the
photography. The photos vary in size, but they are beautiful, and it is
a pleasure to view them. The photos are in full color. Do note more
prominent libraries get more photos.
This is a great book to casually browse. You can read it cover to cover, or you can just browse for what catches your eye.
I
recommend the book for armchair travelers who enjoy large travel
photography books. Fans of libraries will likely enjoy it as well. I'd
also recommend it for public and academic libraries. Libraries with LIS
programs will want to add this one. Overall, despite some issues, I
really liked it.
4 out of 5 stars.
Additional reading notes:
Jay Walker's advice on creating your own private library:
"Collect
to learn! Books that can teach you what you never thought you were
interested in or can inspire you in ways that stretch your imagination--
no matter the resale value-- are worth their weight in gold" (113).
Malala Yousafzai's quote on the power of books:
"Let us not forget that even one book, one pen, one child, and one teacher can change the world" (qtd. in 297).