Have I mentioned the fact that I love libraries? I love them so much. It was delightful to get back and visit the Library of Congress during our DC trip. * Debo mencionar que a mí me encantan la bibiotecas. Me fascinan, en realidad. Así que estaba muy entusiamada a visitar el Library of Congress durante nuesto viaje a Washington DC.
The Library of Congress tour guide flat-out described the place as a "Temple of Knowledge." I love being able to enjoy such decadently ornate and monumental architecture outside of the context of a church. Books, education, learning--worth every mural, every inch of gleaming marble. * El voluntario que nos guió por la biblioteca declaró que es un "templo de sabiduría." Me encanta poder gozar arcitectura tan monumental y elegante fuera del contexto de una iglesia. Libros, educación, conocimiento--cada pulgada de marmol brillante, cada mural coloroso, es testigo al valor de aprender.
Of course, one often does learn that our history is flawed and problematic. Some epic murals from the 1890s can be fraught with sexism and colonial ugliness to my modern sensibilities. But perhaps that's just further proof of the fact that we are still learning, as we roll forward into the future? * Claro que un parte importante de aprender, es darse cuenta que tenemos una historia problematica y difícil. Las murales de la decada 1890 pueden tener aspectos sexistas y colonialistas que me dan asco hoy en día. Pero ojalá esto signifique que vamos aprendiendo más a proceder adelente, ¿no?
James Billingham, the current Librarian of Congress, once said, "Our society is basically motion without memory, which is, of course, one of the clinical definitions of insanity." And then he went on to talk about the Library as being a refuge from all that. Speaking from the inside though, I'd say it is just as insane as the outside.
ReplyDeleteWe *saw* the revered Librarian ducking out of his office on our our! http://www.loc.gov/about/librarianoffice/ That's a great quote about motion without memory...
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