Thursday, 27 November 2014

The Library

                                                                                    Photo prompt-Copyright- Randy Mazie


It was exactly after thirty five years that I was returning to the town. Everything struck new, different and unfamiliar.
But the Library was unaltered.
As I entered the dimly lit hall, I encountered a stillness that I could not associate with any of my earlier memories. There were few readers and fewer books. Most of the cupboards were partially empty. All books were wrapped in neglect. Everything smelled of impending death.
“What has happened to the library?” I asked hesitantly.
“The right question to ask is, what has happened to the readers?” Librarian looked at me with pained eyes.


A post for Friday Fictioneers on a photo prompt.
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20 comments:

  1. Sandra Crook27 November 2014 at 14:59

    Exactly so. Well done.

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    1. i b arora27 November 2014 at 19:39

      thanks Sandra, you are always thoughtful in your comments

      Delete
  2. Maniparna27 November 2014 at 23:32

    So true !!

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  3. Anonymous28 November 2014 at 00:51

    Like a Peter, Paul, and Mary song:
    Where have all the readers gone?

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  4. Anonymous28 November 2014 at 16:19

    The "books wrapped in neglect" said it all. I love my ereader AND my paperbacks. How many people are missing out on that unequalled smell and texture of a book? ;) And how many are missing out on books *completely*? (Shudder)

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    1. i b arora28 November 2014 at 16:49

      great you liked the post, thanks lazuliportal

      Delete
  5. Josie Two Shoes29 November 2014 at 02:05

    I worked in both the school and public libraries when I was in high school, and I loved them. I love books to this day! Reading is a gift, and provides a greater education than anything we encounter in the classroom. I think that many of us have gone to e-books for their convenience, or buying paperbacks to eliminated the weekly trips to the library, but I still love these places and I am sorry to see their decline. I wonder if some day they shall cease to exist altogether as everything is made available on the Internet.

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    1. i b arora29 November 2014 at 09:30

      Thanks Josie, while we have to live with the change there can be no excuse for the neglect, we need to preserve our heritage.

      Delete
  6. brudberg29 November 2014 at 02:13

    This is the development...and in Friday Fictioneers we are the fossils of the internet..

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    1. i b arora29 November 2014 at 09:31

      thanks Bjorn, my angst is against the neglect

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  7. Anonymous29 November 2014 at 08:04

    "Wrapped in neglect" Phrase of the week! Sad but true commentary on today's libraries.

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    1. i b arora29 November 2014 at 09:32

      thanks for liking the phrase, i also liked it

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  8. margirene29 November 2014 at 09:08

    You make a good point - without the readers there will be no libraries. Well told.

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  9. Rochelle Wisoff-Fields29 November 2014 at 18:04

    Dear IB,

    Beautifully stated. What happened to the readers?

    shalom,

    Rochelle

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    1. i b arora29 November 2014 at 19:34

      well, the readers were perhaps glued to their TVs,laptops or were just not interested. thanks for reading

      Delete
  10. Anonymous1 December 2014 at 03:56

    I'm still here. :-) I love the library.

    Lily

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  11. i b arora1 December 2014 at 11:02

    Thanks Lily for reading and for being there, in the library

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