Wow, Dude

Photography is not permitted in the Main Reading Room. So I borrowed this photo from our government.

As you can see, the room is kind of odd. The Library is closed stack, which means that they lock up the books. No browsing for interesting titles among the piles for researchers here. No, sir. You have to find what you want (Cuba - invasion - 1961!) on the computer, then submit a request slip, which is stamped, then wait 45 minutes (or 2 hours, or all day or NEVER, but I'm not bitter) for your item to arrive. And that's if what you want is just a basic book. If it's a manuscript, image, film, or other item, good luck.

But back to the Reading Room. You check your stuff downstairs, then climb up to the first floor to this room. You enter at the bottom of a five-story cylinder with a domed ceiling. To the left, a laptop area, to the right the Luddites. You pick a spot at the circular desks (with a little individual light and a little individual plug and a little brass plate with your desk number (!)) and commence reading, writing, or whatever.

Above you, watching with interest are statues of Mozart, Homer, Solon, and someone named "Kent." Also watching are hordes of tourists who peer down at us from the fourth level, pressing their noses to the glass barriers. It's creepy.

Today I've looked at photos of the dining rooms at Ellis Island and now I'm going to read New York Times articles about the bidding process for food service contracts there. It's fascinating stuff.

For example, did you know that food service companies had to supply (this was in 1908) an employee who was licensed and trained to operate an elevator? He had to work the kitchen elevator all day, every day and if it malfunctioned the liability rested with the catering company and with him. Also, all rye bread was sold in 2-pound loaves. Except when they used it to make sandwiches.

Ok, back to work.