Nocturnal phantom

The Night Wanderer (1924) by Edvard Munch

This painting brutally evinces my darkest days.

The library, our greatest institution

"Like all men of the library, I have travelled in my youth. I have journeyed in search of a book, perhaps of the catalogue of catalogues; now that my eyes can scarcely decipher what I write, I am prepared to die a few leagues from the hexagon in which I was born. [...] I affirm that the library is interminable." - The Library of Babel, Jorge Luis Borges

Just like the afore quoted story explores, a library is more than the sum of its parts. It is endless, voluminous and of sweeping scale and scope. Each book is different, rife with countless meanings and suggestions. In effect, it is the classification and codification of all human endeavour.

And all this is at stake, for two reason: one, the onslaught of digital technology; two, economically precarious circumstances convince politicians that, if there is one institutions that must be slashed, it must be the library.

Going digital means that all books become the same. It is encrypted, codified to the point where there is no variation amongst the items. (And in the library Borges writes about, even identical books have slight variants.) These works aren't stored, they are transmogrified into a digital medium that doesn't lend itself to public availability. The digital format is a far cry from the titanic and seamless vision Borges conceived of in 'The Library of Babel.'

All that aside, a library has been the classic tool for the autodidact. From time immemorial, it has been the most useful service for those who do not want to be sermoned but would rather learn of their own volition. Just under six years ago, I loved scouring libraries for their selections on classical music and composer biographies. These titles (which are far more specialised than works of fiction or general history) are nowhere to be found in those libraries I frequented. The autodidact must look elsewhere for these titles (i.e. the internet), but isn't it a shame that there isn't a public service providing him with such information?

I'd argue that the library is a far more important institution than a university. I say this out of pure piggishness and single-mindedness. I much prefer discovering on my own. Not just that, I prefer looking into subjects I have singled out myself, rather than having them served on a plate to me. A university allows all people, from all social standings, to develop their argumentative skills and their aptitude. That is all in good stead, but isn't it more exciting to study something that you have chosen and to work at it within your timetables and at your own pace? There are often huge gaps in your knowledge but, for the autodidact, this is the preferred mode of study.

The current ruling party in the UK is cutting down on several libraries. I won't discuss the economic flaws inherent in these austerity measures, instead I'll go through what a loss this means for us. A library is a cherished institution, dating back centuries, that provides an indispensable service to the community. If these cuts lead to the decline of libraries, then irreparable damage would be caused. Incompetent politicians and opportunistic purveyors of vacuous and empty technology will only have themselves to blame for bringing this service to an end.