An Interesting Observation About Libraries

[astrum]

Something that I noticed about libraries--public and university alike--is that very few have functioning windows.


Many do indeed have windows, but those windows are always locked or do not even work. They're mainly there for show and perhaps also lighting during the daytime.


I wonder if that's so as a safety measure.

[Shevek]

If by windows that "work" you mean windows that open and close, it could be to keep noise out.

[togre]

The books and papers and studies often undertaken in a library do not always exist well with gentle breezes, much less exposure to the more robust activities of the elements.

[kiki1982]

Yes, there is nothing as upsetting as, when you are reading something, there is a gust of wind and the pages of your book start to turn over by themselves. Or even worse, imagine your newspaper flying away altogether.

Although, maybe in modern libraries it has to do with the air moisture and things like this. If you let people open and close the windows, the air will be moister when it's raining outside than when it's very hot and that air will stay in there for quite a while before it gets out. Bad for the books. Also in winter leaving the windows open is not a nice idea because it costs a lot in heating. I'm guessing it could have a lot to do with the preservation of books as well.

[Lokasenna]

My theory is that it's to stop the undergrads escaping. My university has also been nailing the windows shut in classrooms, ostensibly for reasons of security and heat-efficiency, but in reality I suspect to prevent students making spirited escapes from particularly dreary tutorials.

[mona amon]

LOL!

I think it's to prevent readers from defenestrating annoying books.

[kiki1982]

My theory is that it's to stop the undergrads escaping. My university has also been nailing the windows shut in classrooms, ostensibly for reasons of security and heat-efficiency, but in reality I suspect to prevent students making spirited escapes from particularly dreary tutorials.

Gosh, yeah, people might actually fall out of the window :rolleyes: (well, there are stupid people like that, though).

Defenestrating annoying books :lol:, I like that.

What about defenestrating annoying professors? !D The emperor of the Holy Roman Empire did it once in Prague. Where are the times that you could throw people out of the window because you didn't like what they say, eh...

[astrum]

Libraries must do all they can to protect their books.

[togre]

My theory is that it's to stop the undergrads escaping. My university has also been nailing the windows shut in classrooms, ostensibly for reasons of security and heat-efficiency, but in reality I suspect to prevent students making spirited escapes from particularly dreary tutorials.

Where I went to school there was an ancient legend of a professor who taught facing the chalkboard with his back toward the class. The students would open the windows, leap out into the bushes and try to return through the door without him noticing.