1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:02,559 Speaker 1: Guess what, mango, what's that? Will? Have you heard about 2 00:00:02,560 --> 00:00:06,320 Speaker 1: this secret library that's in Syria? What is it? Well, 3 00:00:06,440 --> 00:00:09,320 Speaker 1: hiding below the town of Darrayah, which is this suburb 4 00:00:09,360 --> 00:00:13,280 Speaker 1: of Damascus, there's a library of over fourteen thousand books. 5 00:00:13,840 --> 00:00:15,840 Speaker 1: Is he During the terrible siege of the area, people 6 00:00:15,840 --> 00:00:18,479 Speaker 1: have gone into homes and the buildings that were damaged 7 00:00:18,480 --> 00:00:21,400 Speaker 1: by all these attacks, and they've managed to retrieve these 8 00:00:21,400 --> 00:00:24,360 Speaker 1: books to keep in this library. I mean, it's been 9 00:00:24,400 --> 00:00:28,000 Speaker 1: such a heartbreaking situation there for years now, but visitors 10 00:00:28,000 --> 00:00:30,640 Speaker 1: to the library have found at least a temporary escape 11 00:00:30,680 --> 00:00:33,760 Speaker 1: from the devastation by coming down there to browse the 12 00:00:33,800 --> 00:00:36,519 Speaker 1: shelves and and just read for a bit. As one 13 00:00:36,600 --> 00:00:39,760 Speaker 1: visitor told the BBC, and as since the library gave 14 00:00:39,800 --> 00:00:42,400 Speaker 1: me back my life, I would say, just like the 15 00:00:42,440 --> 00:00:46,640 Speaker 1: body needs food, the soul needs books. That's incredible, it 16 00:00:46,720 --> 00:00:49,559 Speaker 1: really is. And while this is obviously an extreme example, 17 00:00:49,600 --> 00:00:52,560 Speaker 1: it's it's amazing how libraries have served as an escape 18 00:00:52,600 --> 00:00:55,080 Speaker 1: for people for so long now, and how they've been 19 00:00:55,120 --> 00:00:59,000 Speaker 1: a place for self improvement and community and entertainment for 20 00:00:59,040 --> 00:01:01,640 Speaker 1: so many And that guy is thinking, how did the 21 00:01:01,640 --> 00:01:04,880 Speaker 1: modern library come to be? And how our libraries evolving, 22 00:01:05,080 --> 00:01:07,280 Speaker 1: So that's what we're talking about today. Let's dive in 23 00:01:25,720 --> 00:01:28,399 Speaker 1: either podcast listeners. Well, from the part time genius, I'm 24 00:01:28,400 --> 00:01:30,319 Speaker 1: Will Pearson and as always I'm joined by my good 25 00:01:30,319 --> 00:01:32,640 Speaker 1: friend Man Guesh I Ticketer and on the other side 26 00:01:32,640 --> 00:01:35,000 Speaker 1: of the soundproof class still on the run from library 27 00:01:35,040 --> 00:01:38,039 Speaker 1: funds that are way way overdue. What did he say? 28 00:01:38,080 --> 00:01:40,959 Speaker 1: It's been like seven seven years. That's our friend and 29 00:01:41,000 --> 00:01:44,200 Speaker 1: producer Tristan McNeil. All right, well, Mengo, before we get 30 00:01:44,200 --> 00:01:46,880 Speaker 1: into the episode, we've had more than one listener asked 31 00:01:46,880 --> 00:01:49,800 Speaker 1: if I was actually saying your name correctly, and the 32 00:01:49,840 --> 00:01:52,080 Speaker 1: answer is yes, So there's enough to that. I mean, 33 00:01:52,120 --> 00:01:54,360 Speaker 1: I've known you for more than twenty years now, so 34 00:01:54,600 --> 00:01:56,800 Speaker 1: I feel like it's kind of like when you know, 35 00:01:56,920 --> 00:01:59,040 Speaker 1: kids just say a name for a grandparent, you have 36 00:01:59,080 --> 00:02:00,960 Speaker 1: to accept like that it's what it is. So if 37 00:02:01,000 --> 00:02:03,240 Speaker 1: they say mamma, it's in fact, Should I just call 38 00:02:03,280 --> 00:02:06,320 Speaker 1: you mammal? Is that work? Anyway? We've had some requests 39 00:02:06,320 --> 00:02:08,320 Speaker 1: for you to say your own name, so let's just 40 00:02:08,400 --> 00:02:09,959 Speaker 1: go ahead and do this. You want to go for it, 41 00:02:10,000 --> 00:02:12,080 Speaker 1: and the listeners will know how bad I am at 42 00:02:12,120 --> 00:02:15,959 Speaker 1: saying your name sure, it's it's pronounced Kyle Jones really 43 00:02:16,000 --> 00:02:19,680 Speaker 1: all this time. Okay, So there it is, And I 44 00:02:19,720 --> 00:02:21,799 Speaker 1: wanted to actually let you know that you're saying my 45 00:02:21,880 --> 00:02:24,520 Speaker 1: name incorrectly because in the part of Alabama where I'm from, 46 00:02:24,520 --> 00:02:29,120 Speaker 1: it's pronounced wheel. So now we both know. Alright. Well, 47 00:02:29,160 --> 00:02:32,960 Speaker 1: back to Tristan's late fees and things that are long overdue. Today, 48 00:02:33,000 --> 00:02:35,359 Speaker 1: we're finally getting into a topic we wanted to cover 49 00:02:35,440 --> 00:02:38,720 Speaker 1: for a while now, and that's libraries. Yeah. So you 50 00:02:38,760 --> 00:02:40,639 Speaker 1: and I have learned so much throughout our lives thanks 51 00:02:40,680 --> 00:02:43,079 Speaker 1: to libraries, and we really wanted to kind of return 52 00:02:43,160 --> 00:02:46,080 Speaker 1: the favor by higlighting the best facts and stories about 53 00:02:46,080 --> 00:02:48,920 Speaker 1: them we could find. Alright, so mego. You mentioned that 54 00:02:48,960 --> 00:02:51,639 Speaker 1: you sort of feel indebted to libraries for being such 55 00:02:51,639 --> 00:02:54,760 Speaker 1: a helpful resource over the years, and of course Tristan 56 00:02:54,840 --> 00:02:57,120 Speaker 1: and many others are indebted in a different kind of way. 57 00:02:57,160 --> 00:03:00,160 Speaker 1: But one thing that's become clear for me over the years, 58 00:03:00,600 --> 00:03:03,440 Speaker 1: especially working on this episode, is that pretty much everyone 59 00:03:03,600 --> 00:03:06,800 Speaker 1: feels that way about libraries. In fact, to get specific, 60 00:03:06,840 --> 00:03:10,239 Speaker 1: a full percent of Americans they just sixteen and older, 61 00:03:10,520 --> 00:03:13,840 Speaker 1: say that public libraries are important to their communities and 62 00:03:13,840 --> 00:03:17,200 Speaker 1: that those communities would be negatively impacted if libraries were 63 00:03:17,240 --> 00:03:19,560 Speaker 1: to close down, as at least according to a two 64 00:03:19,639 --> 00:03:23,280 Speaker 1: thousand thirteen study from the Pew Research Center. Wow, so 65 00:03:23,480 --> 00:03:26,320 Speaker 1: it's honestly a little surprisingly hear that the approval numbers 66 00:03:26,320 --> 00:03:28,960 Speaker 1: are that high for libraries. I mean, maybe it's just me, 67 00:03:29,040 --> 00:03:30,880 Speaker 1: but I tend to think of them as being in 68 00:03:30,880 --> 00:03:34,000 Speaker 1: the same boat as like, I don't know, the postal system. 69 00:03:34,040 --> 00:03:37,080 Speaker 1: You know, it's this like long running public institution that's 70 00:03:37,120 --> 00:03:41,280 Speaker 1: become a little more ignored in the digital edge. Yeah, 71 00:03:41,320 --> 00:03:43,080 Speaker 1: well that's the thing. I mean, the number of people 72 00:03:43,120 --> 00:03:46,320 Speaker 1: who approve of libraries and theory is significantly higher than 73 00:03:46,360 --> 00:03:48,880 Speaker 1: the number of people who actually use them. So even 74 00:03:48,920 --> 00:03:52,680 Speaker 1: though of citizens felt libraries were good for their communities, 75 00:03:53,120 --> 00:03:56,360 Speaker 1: only about fifty three percent had actually visited a library 76 00:03:56,440 --> 00:03:59,440 Speaker 1: or bookmobile in the last twelve months. So, I mean, 77 00:03:59,520 --> 00:04:02,200 Speaker 1: I do feel like if half a population is using 78 00:04:02,200 --> 00:04:05,000 Speaker 1: a largely government funded resource like that, it's it's really 79 00:04:05,040 --> 00:04:08,360 Speaker 1: not that bad. Though the visitor account has fallen further 80 00:04:08,440 --> 00:04:12,480 Speaker 1: since two thousand thirteen, when Pew published another library study. 81 00:04:12,560 --> 00:04:15,080 Speaker 1: Just last year, the number of people who had visited 82 00:04:15,080 --> 00:04:17,400 Speaker 1: a physical library in the past twelve months had fallen 83 00:04:17,440 --> 00:04:21,080 Speaker 1: to about forty four percent, and has the popularity of 84 00:04:21,160 --> 00:04:24,400 Speaker 1: libraries also dropped since two thousand team No, I mean 85 00:04:24,440 --> 00:04:26,880 Speaker 1: that's the craziest part. So Pew asked the same question 86 00:04:26,920 --> 00:04:30,039 Speaker 1: about community impact in two thousand fifteen and found that 87 00:04:30,120 --> 00:04:33,359 Speaker 1: public support for libraries had remained at that same sky 88 00:04:33,440 --> 00:04:35,800 Speaker 1: high level, which is great, but it does raise the 89 00:04:35,920 --> 00:04:39,200 Speaker 1: question if if just about everyone considers libraries to be 90 00:04:39,240 --> 00:04:43,600 Speaker 1: a valuable resource, why do we find fewer people using them? Yeah. 91 00:04:43,640 --> 00:04:45,880 Speaker 1: So I actually did some digging on that, and at 92 00:04:45,920 --> 00:04:47,880 Speaker 1: first it seemed like the reason for the decline and 93 00:04:48,000 --> 00:04:51,680 Speaker 1: visitors was, you know, due to technology and these technological 94 00:04:51,720 --> 00:04:55,200 Speaker 1: shifts and maybe like this growing preference for e readers 95 00:04:55,200 --> 00:04:57,960 Speaker 1: and tablets. Yeah, and and that was the PEWS takeaway 96 00:04:57,960 --> 00:04:59,920 Speaker 1: as well. But I guess you're saying there's something else 97 00:05:00,040 --> 00:05:01,920 Speaker 1: might be at play here as well. Yeah. So, there's 98 00:05:01,920 --> 00:05:04,760 Speaker 1: this independent federal agency called the Institute of Museum and 99 00:05:04,839 --> 00:05:08,240 Speaker 1: Library Services, it's i MLS, and every other year it 100 00:05:08,360 --> 00:05:10,760 Speaker 1: surveys libraries all over the country to get a better 101 00:05:10,800 --> 00:05:13,280 Speaker 1: sense of how things are going in the industry. And 102 00:05:13,279 --> 00:05:16,240 Speaker 1: one thing that the agency shows is that the revenues 103 00:05:16,279 --> 00:05:19,080 Speaker 1: for libraries started dropping during the Great Recession in two 104 00:05:19,120 --> 00:05:22,520 Speaker 1: thousand nine and have continued to decline ever since. And 105 00:05:22,600 --> 00:05:24,560 Speaker 1: this revenue is like this money from late fees and 106 00:05:24,560 --> 00:05:27,000 Speaker 1: book sales or what are we talking about here? Yeah, 107 00:05:27,040 --> 00:05:28,800 Speaker 1: I mean that's part of it, but most of the 108 00:05:28,800 --> 00:05:31,160 Speaker 1: revenue lasses due to budget cuts from local and state 109 00:05:31,200 --> 00:05:33,719 Speaker 1: governments and whenever they need to drum up more cash 110 00:05:33,760 --> 00:05:36,840 Speaker 1: for public projects, libraries are just an easy target. And 111 00:05:36,880 --> 00:05:40,640 Speaker 1: so how does that relate to fewer people visiting the library? Well, 112 00:05:40,680 --> 00:05:42,839 Speaker 1: the i MLS puts it this way, and their report 113 00:05:42,880 --> 00:05:46,839 Speaker 1: from two thousand twelve quote we found that as investments 114 00:05:46,880 --> 00:05:50,799 Speaker 1: such as revenue, staffing, and programs increased, so did critical 115 00:05:50,960 --> 00:05:54,800 Speaker 1: use measures such as visitation and circulation. In the same way, 116 00:05:54,880 --> 00:05:58,360 Speaker 1: as investments were reduced, mostly in reaction to post recessionary 117 00:05:58,400 --> 00:06:03,120 Speaker 1: budgetary reductions, we saw decreases in library use. So basically, 118 00:06:03,160 --> 00:06:05,760 Speaker 1: the better funded to the library is the more people 119 00:06:05,960 --> 00:06:08,039 Speaker 1: use it, which actually makes a lot of sense, right, 120 00:06:08,080 --> 00:06:11,640 Speaker 1: I mean, more money means more staff members and longer hours, 121 00:06:11,839 --> 00:06:14,680 Speaker 1: newer computers, not to mention more Harry Potter books on 122 00:06:14,720 --> 00:06:17,360 Speaker 1: the shelves. So while libraries do stand a benefit from 123 00:06:17,360 --> 00:06:20,640 Speaker 1: better publicizing things like their e book lending programs, which 124 00:06:20,680 --> 00:06:24,400 Speaker 1: I think something like of libraries offer. Now, if we 125 00:06:24,480 --> 00:06:26,560 Speaker 1: really want them to live up to their full potential, 126 00:06:26,600 --> 00:06:28,480 Speaker 1: then I guess it's up to the public to make 127 00:06:28,520 --> 00:06:31,440 Speaker 1: sure that we properly fund them exactly. And while we're 128 00:06:31,440 --> 00:06:33,760 Speaker 1: on the subject of the library's full potential, have you 129 00:06:33,760 --> 00:06:36,200 Speaker 1: ever heard of this idea called the third place? No, 130 00:06:36,360 --> 00:06:38,960 Speaker 1: what's up? So it's actually a community building concept that 131 00:06:39,000 --> 00:06:42,640 Speaker 1: a sociologist named h I think his name is Ray Oldenberg, 132 00:06:42,760 --> 00:06:45,479 Speaker 1: and he outlined it in the late ninet eighties, and 133 00:06:45,839 --> 00:06:49,040 Speaker 1: his thinking was that society foster's healthy, happy citizens if 134 00:06:49,040 --> 00:06:51,320 Speaker 1: it helps them strike a balance between, you know, the 135 00:06:51,360 --> 00:06:54,880 Speaker 1: time spent at home, at work, and in neutral public spaces. 136 00:06:55,400 --> 00:06:57,320 Speaker 1: So the idea is that a person's home is their 137 00:06:57,360 --> 00:07:00,920 Speaker 1: first space, their workplaces this second place, and their third 138 00:07:00,960 --> 00:07:04,720 Speaker 1: places are the stimulating public spaces where people gather to 139 00:07:04,760 --> 00:07:07,760 Speaker 1: have conversations or to take part in some shared activity, 140 00:07:07,880 --> 00:07:09,920 Speaker 1: or just to be in the presence of other people. 141 00:07:10,600 --> 00:07:12,680 Speaker 1: So really, everywhere except the home in the office is 142 00:07:12,840 --> 00:07:16,400 Speaker 1: third place. No, I mean, so some of the historical examples, 143 00:07:16,440 --> 00:07:20,280 Speaker 1: Ray sided where French cafes and maybe American taverns during 144 00:07:20,320 --> 00:07:23,400 Speaker 1: their respective revolutions, and you could think of diners and 145 00:07:23,440 --> 00:07:26,840 Speaker 1: coffee shops as modern standings. But third places can also 146 00:07:26,880 --> 00:07:30,120 Speaker 1: be parks or rec centers and churches. The list goes on. 147 00:07:30,200 --> 00:07:32,040 Speaker 1: But it doesn't mean that any place can be a 148 00:07:32,080 --> 00:07:35,400 Speaker 1: third place. So, for example, it it's got a few rules. 149 00:07:35,760 --> 00:07:38,480 Speaker 1: It's got to be somewhere that's universally accessible, both in 150 00:07:38,560 --> 00:07:41,800 Speaker 1: terms of proximity and price, So at third places, some 151 00:07:42,080 --> 00:07:44,720 Speaker 1: somewhere that costs nothing or at least not much. And 152 00:07:44,760 --> 00:07:47,400 Speaker 1: the other main requirement is that it's somewhere welcoming, where 153 00:07:47,680 --> 00:07:50,360 Speaker 1: social and economic status don't really matter, and where the 154 00:07:50,400 --> 00:07:53,120 Speaker 1: environment is so comfortable that people develop a connection with 155 00:07:53,160 --> 00:07:55,040 Speaker 1: the space. All right, I think I get it. So, 156 00:07:55,040 --> 00:07:56,920 Speaker 1: so a library is kind of a third place that's 157 00:07:56,960 --> 00:08:00,000 Speaker 1: focused on learning, and I guess that's always been the case, 158 00:08:00,080 --> 00:08:03,320 Speaker 1: even back when libraries did little beyond lending print books, 159 00:08:03,760 --> 00:08:06,880 Speaker 1: but it seems especially true under today's model, where libraries 160 00:08:06,920 --> 00:08:10,120 Speaker 1: are offering community classes and provide access to things like, 161 00:08:10,480 --> 00:08:13,240 Speaker 1: you know, everything from sewing machines and spinning wheels and 162 00:08:13,280 --> 00:08:15,960 Speaker 1: go pro cameras, all kinds of things now right, and 163 00:08:16,040 --> 00:08:18,760 Speaker 1: now more than ever, libraries are becoming places where people 164 00:08:18,800 --> 00:08:21,680 Speaker 1: can learn a new skill or collaborate on a project. Yeah, 165 00:08:21,720 --> 00:08:24,400 Speaker 1: I guess you've you've sold me on this third place thing, mango, 166 00:08:24,480 --> 00:08:26,120 Speaker 1: and that that really might be the way to think 167 00:08:26,160 --> 00:08:28,840 Speaker 1: of libraries as we go forward, and I think so too. 168 00:08:28,920 --> 00:08:31,920 Speaker 1: So there's a British journalist named Caitlin Moran who wrote 169 00:08:31,920 --> 00:08:34,440 Speaker 1: a really great piece about libraries for the Times of London. 170 00:08:34,520 --> 00:08:37,040 Speaker 1: And this was back in two thousand and twelve. Apparently 171 00:08:37,040 --> 00:08:39,319 Speaker 1: the British government is a little farther along with their 172 00:08:39,360 --> 00:08:41,560 Speaker 1: library budget cuts than we are in the States. So 173 00:08:42,120 --> 00:08:45,760 Speaker 1: nearly ten percent of England's public libraries have closed since 174 00:08:45,800 --> 00:08:49,360 Speaker 1: two Yeah, and so Caitlin wrote about what it was 175 00:08:49,440 --> 00:08:51,960 Speaker 1: like to see all these old public libraries being shuttered, 176 00:08:52,000 --> 00:08:55,520 Speaker 1: and one pardon particular really speaks to how libraries exemplify 177 00:08:55,640 --> 00:08:59,600 Speaker 1: this third place and their benefits to society. She writes, quote, 178 00:09:00,200 --> 00:09:02,040 Speaker 1: a library in the middle of a community is a 179 00:09:02,040 --> 00:09:05,320 Speaker 1: cross between an emergency exit, a life raft and a festival. 180 00:09:05,679 --> 00:09:08,640 Speaker 1: They are cathedrals of the mind, hospitals of the soul, 181 00:09:09,040 --> 00:09:12,600 Speaker 1: themed parks of the imagination on a cold, rainy island. 182 00:09:12,840 --> 00:09:15,560 Speaker 1: They're the only sheltered public spaces where you're not a 183 00:09:15,559 --> 00:09:19,679 Speaker 1: consumer but a citizen instead a mall. The shops are 184 00:09:19,720 --> 00:09:22,400 Speaker 1: places where your money makes the wealthy wealthier, but a 185 00:09:22,480 --> 00:09:24,960 Speaker 1: library is where the wealthiest taxes pay for you to 186 00:09:24,960 --> 00:09:29,280 Speaker 1: become a little more extraordinary instead satisfying reversal balancing of 187 00:09:29,320 --> 00:09:31,840 Speaker 1: the power. That's pretty awesome, And you know, I like 188 00:09:31,960 --> 00:09:35,280 Speaker 1: to house she's reflecting both on her own experiences with libraries, 189 00:09:35,320 --> 00:09:39,240 Speaker 1: but also what libraries are to other people. That's ultimately 190 00:09:39,240 --> 00:09:42,840 Speaker 1: what's going on with this public approval rating that we 191 00:09:42,920 --> 00:09:44,719 Speaker 1: talked about before. I guess, so what do you mean 192 00:09:44,760 --> 00:09:46,880 Speaker 1: by that? Well, I read in that Pew report that 193 00:09:46,960 --> 00:09:49,319 Speaker 1: from last year that over three quarters of adults in 194 00:09:49,360 --> 00:09:51,400 Speaker 1: the US have been to a library at some point 195 00:09:51,440 --> 00:09:53,600 Speaker 1: in their lives. So to be sure, some of the 196 00:09:53,600 --> 00:09:56,600 Speaker 1: goodwill people feel towards libraries comes from their own personal 197 00:09:56,640 --> 00:09:59,439 Speaker 1: experiences with them. Even if someone hasn't been to a 198 00:09:59,440 --> 00:10:03,040 Speaker 1: public live re since childhood, they probably have some happy 199 00:10:03,040 --> 00:10:06,200 Speaker 1: nostalgia for those early visits, and I guess that gives 200 00:10:06,200 --> 00:10:09,079 Speaker 1: them a positive view of libraries in the present. But 201 00:10:09,160 --> 00:10:11,120 Speaker 1: I also think that people just like the idea of 202 00:10:11,160 --> 00:10:14,400 Speaker 1: a public space that's set aside for reading and learning, which, 203 00:10:14,840 --> 00:10:17,000 Speaker 1: you know, basically what everyone thinks of when they think 204 00:10:17,040 --> 00:10:19,800 Speaker 1: about libraries, it's kind of like, even if we don't 205 00:10:19,920 --> 00:10:22,320 Speaker 1: use them, we still take comfort in having the option 206 00:10:22,480 --> 00:10:24,520 Speaker 1: and knowing that these places are make a difference in 207 00:10:24,559 --> 00:10:26,920 Speaker 1: the lives of the people around us. I mean that 208 00:10:26,960 --> 00:10:29,000 Speaker 1: sounds right to me. And there's something in the concept 209 00:10:29,000 --> 00:10:30,920 Speaker 1: of the library that really speaks to us on this 210 00:10:31,000 --> 00:10:34,199 Speaker 1: fundamental level. It's like, we want freedom and we want 211 00:10:34,200 --> 00:10:37,400 Speaker 1: to satisfy our natural curiosity. So what could be better 212 00:10:37,440 --> 00:10:40,120 Speaker 1: than this big open space to explore any avenue have 213 00:10:40,160 --> 00:10:42,280 Speaker 1: thought you want? Yeah, after all, I mean that there's 214 00:10:42,280 --> 00:10:44,840 Speaker 1: a reason libraries have cropped up in just about every 215 00:10:44,880 --> 00:10:48,120 Speaker 1: civilization for the last few thousand years. And I guess 216 00:10:48,160 --> 00:10:49,920 Speaker 1: the only problem is that we aren't always as good 217 00:10:49,960 --> 00:10:52,680 Speaker 1: to them as they are to us, that's for sure. 218 00:10:53,000 --> 00:10:55,640 Speaker 1: But the funding threats and reduced foot traffic that our 219 00:10:55,679 --> 00:10:58,120 Speaker 1: libraries faced now don't seem nearly as bad when you 220 00:10:58,120 --> 00:11:00,960 Speaker 1: look at the rest of our messy track record. But libraries. Yeah, 221 00:11:01,000 --> 00:11:03,400 Speaker 1: now that we've gotten a sense of where libraries are today, 222 00:11:03,440 --> 00:11:05,760 Speaker 1: we should definitely talk about their history and how they've 223 00:11:05,760 --> 00:11:09,320 Speaker 1: been developed and also destroyed over the centuries. But first, 224 00:11:09,360 --> 00:11:24,400 Speaker 1: let's take a quick break you listen to Part Time 225 00:11:24,480 --> 00:11:27,560 Speaker 1: Genius and we're talking about the shockingly long history of libraries, 226 00:11:27,840 --> 00:11:30,959 Speaker 1: and I do mean long. So in fact, libraries are 227 00:11:31,000 --> 00:11:34,640 Speaker 1: so old they even pre date books. The oldest library 228 00:11:34,640 --> 00:11:37,720 Speaker 1: ever discovered dates back to the seventh century BC. It 229 00:11:37,840 --> 00:11:40,400 Speaker 1: was the private library of this Assyrian ruler and it 230 00:11:40,440 --> 00:11:44,280 Speaker 1: contained over thirty thousand tablets inscribed with cuneiform. And many 231 00:11:44,280 --> 00:11:47,480 Speaker 1: of the libraries tablets were just archival documents or religious texts, 232 00:11:47,679 --> 00:11:50,439 Speaker 1: but there were some early literary work sprinkled into including 233 00:11:50,440 --> 00:11:53,560 Speaker 1: the famous epic of Gilgamesh. Well, I like that literature 234 00:11:53,640 --> 00:11:56,120 Speaker 1: was included in that one because it helps strengthen this 235 00:11:56,240 --> 00:11:59,840 Speaker 1: claim that it's the oldest library. I mean, ancient civilizations 236 00:11:59,840 --> 00:12:03,360 Speaker 1: did really distinguished between archives and libraries, so it can 237 00:12:03,400 --> 00:12:05,200 Speaker 1: sometimes get a little bit dicey when we're trying to 238 00:12:05,240 --> 00:12:08,800 Speaker 1: decide what should or shouldn't be considered one. Today. For example, 239 00:12:08,880 --> 00:12:12,600 Speaker 1: archaeologists have uncovered similar collections of Assyrian clay tablets that 240 00:12:12,679 --> 00:12:15,440 Speaker 1: date back even farther. But you know, the contents are 241 00:12:15,440 --> 00:12:19,160 Speaker 1: mostly records of various business transactions and things like that, 242 00:12:19,200 --> 00:12:22,000 Speaker 1: so you couldn't really call it a library. I don't think. Yeah, 243 00:12:22,040 --> 00:12:24,080 Speaker 1: I mean it sounds more like a records room or something. 244 00:12:24,200 --> 00:12:26,840 Speaker 1: But another thing that might lend a bit more credit 245 00:12:26,880 --> 00:12:29,480 Speaker 1: to the royal library I mentioned is thats contests were 246 00:12:29,600 --> 00:12:32,760 Speaker 1: largely a mass through the conquest of other territories, So 247 00:12:32,880 --> 00:12:35,679 Speaker 1: the Assyrians would loot texts from the temples of Babylonia 248 00:12:35,760 --> 00:12:38,480 Speaker 1: and other nearby regions and and then just add them 249 00:12:38,520 --> 00:12:41,040 Speaker 1: to the private collection. So it really was this effort 250 00:12:41,080 --> 00:12:43,600 Speaker 1: to compile a wide range of knowledge and text from 251 00:12:43,600 --> 00:12:47,760 Speaker 1: different sources, rather than just someone's personal business archive. I mean, 252 00:12:47,800 --> 00:12:49,960 Speaker 1: I guess it was for a good cause, but you know, 253 00:12:50,040 --> 00:12:52,880 Speaker 1: building something as peaceful as a library through conquest just 254 00:12:53,000 --> 00:12:56,200 Speaker 1: feels a little off tonight. I think I'm more on 255 00:12:56,240 --> 00:12:59,640 Speaker 1: board with the Library of Alexandria's approach. So until it 256 00:12:59,679 --> 00:13:02,120 Speaker 1: was miss Lee burned to the ground during the Roman 257 00:13:02,160 --> 00:13:05,760 Speaker 1: conquest of Egypt back in thirty BC, the library held 258 00:13:05,800 --> 00:13:09,440 Speaker 1: something like four hundred thousand scrolls, and people had moved 259 00:13:09,440 --> 00:13:12,480 Speaker 1: from clay tablets to papyrus at this point. But you know, 260 00:13:12,480 --> 00:13:16,320 Speaker 1: the scrolls weren't the spoils of foreign conquest. Instead, the 261 00:13:16,360 --> 00:13:20,199 Speaker 1: Egyptians waited for foreigners to bring text to them. According 262 00:13:20,240 --> 00:13:23,160 Speaker 1: to the Greek physician and philosopher Galen. King Ptolemy of 263 00:13:23,200 --> 00:13:26,200 Speaker 1: Egypt ordered the scrolls of any visiting ships to be 264 00:13:26,360 --> 00:13:30,679 Speaker 1: seized and painstakingly copied into manuscripts. But the part that 265 00:13:30,720 --> 00:13:33,559 Speaker 1: I found funniest was that Ptolemy kept all the originals 266 00:13:33,640 --> 00:13:35,480 Speaker 1: and added that to the library, and then made the 267 00:13:35,559 --> 00:13:39,400 Speaker 1: visitors take the copies instead. Well, one thing I was 268 00:13:39,400 --> 00:13:42,360 Speaker 1: struck by while researching is how so many characteristics we 269 00:13:42,400 --> 00:13:46,400 Speaker 1: associate with libraries were relatively late additions. So even when 270 00:13:46,440 --> 00:13:49,600 Speaker 1: scrolls gave way to books, libraries still looked really different 271 00:13:49,600 --> 00:13:52,160 Speaker 1: from how they do today. For instance, did you know 272 00:13:52,240 --> 00:13:54,960 Speaker 1: the practice of shelving books vertically with their spines facing 273 00:13:54,960 --> 00:13:57,720 Speaker 1: out did take hold until the Middle Ages? I mean, 274 00:13:57,760 --> 00:14:01,040 Speaker 1: the closest things to public libraries and those days were monasteries. 275 00:14:01,360 --> 00:14:03,360 Speaker 1: But the monks who lived there didn't really want to 276 00:14:03,360 --> 00:14:06,040 Speaker 1: share their books with one another, so they actually hoarded 277 00:14:06,040 --> 00:14:08,800 Speaker 1: books in their private workspaces, going so far as to 278 00:14:08,960 --> 00:14:11,320 Speaker 1: chain the books to their desks. I mean, we've mentioned 279 00:14:11,320 --> 00:14:13,920 Speaker 1: this before in the World Records episode, but the books 280 00:14:13,920 --> 00:14:16,679 Speaker 1: were later moved to communal desks where everyone could use them, 281 00:14:16,720 --> 00:14:18,960 Speaker 1: but they were still chained up to keep them from disappear. 282 00:14:19,960 --> 00:14:23,080 Speaker 1: I mean, everybody knows that monks have sticky fingers though, right, So, 283 00:14:23,080 --> 00:14:24,880 Speaker 1: so when did the monks switch to more of a 284 00:14:25,000 --> 00:14:27,600 Speaker 1: vertical storage when they got sick of hearing all those 285 00:14:27,640 --> 00:14:30,400 Speaker 1: rattling chains? I think has more and more volumes were 286 00:14:30,400 --> 00:14:32,320 Speaker 1: added to the monks collections. The books had to be 287 00:14:32,360 --> 00:14:34,400 Speaker 1: piled on top of each other, which made it just 288 00:14:34,600 --> 00:14:37,800 Speaker 1: really cumbersome and noisy to remove them from one another. 289 00:14:38,240 --> 00:14:40,880 Speaker 1: But even after going vertical, books still weren't displayed with 290 00:14:40,880 --> 00:14:43,760 Speaker 1: their spines out. They were stood on their edge opposite 291 00:14:43,760 --> 00:14:46,560 Speaker 1: the spine, or even placed vertically but with the pages 292 00:14:46,600 --> 00:14:49,320 Speaker 1: facing out instead of the spine. Oh wow, I mean, 293 00:14:49,400 --> 00:14:51,640 Speaker 1: hiding the spine seems like the worst idea. You'd have 294 00:14:51,680 --> 00:14:53,920 Speaker 1: to pull every book off the shelf just to find 295 00:14:53,960 --> 00:14:56,120 Speaker 1: the one that you were looking for. Yeah, but you've 296 00:14:56,120 --> 00:14:58,040 Speaker 1: got to think about this. Back then, like printing on 297 00:14:58,080 --> 00:15:02,160 Speaker 1: book spines didn't really start appearing until so in the meantime, 298 00:15:02,160 --> 00:15:03,840 Speaker 1: people had to come up with their own ways and 299 00:15:03,920 --> 00:15:06,960 Speaker 1: life hacks to deal with this confusion, and one early 300 00:15:07,000 --> 00:15:09,880 Speaker 1: solution was to draw identifying marks and designs on the 301 00:15:09,960 --> 00:15:12,320 Speaker 1: thick of the pages, which is actually called the four 302 00:15:12,400 --> 00:15:14,600 Speaker 1: edges of a book by the way. So, for example, 303 00:15:14,600 --> 00:15:17,080 Speaker 1: there was this Italian doctor who had a friend's nephew 304 00:15:17,160 --> 00:15:19,920 Speaker 1: illustrate all the four edges of his books, and he'd 305 00:15:19,920 --> 00:15:22,840 Speaker 1: put scenes on there that depicted the book's subject matter. 306 00:15:23,400 --> 00:15:25,800 Speaker 1: The other popular solution was to wrap a title label 307 00:15:25,840 --> 00:15:28,160 Speaker 1: across the book and and tie it on with the chain. 308 00:15:28,440 --> 00:15:31,080 Speaker 1: Again with the chain. I mean, these people must have 309 00:15:31,080 --> 00:15:34,280 Speaker 1: been thrilled when printed spines finally came out. But you know, 310 00:15:34,320 --> 00:15:37,200 Speaker 1: while we're on that subject, I also came across a 311 00:15:37,320 --> 00:15:41,120 Speaker 1: surprisingly late addition to libraries, which is really the concept 312 00:15:41,160 --> 00:15:44,400 Speaker 1: of lending or circulating books. So most of the ancient 313 00:15:44,440 --> 00:15:47,360 Speaker 1: and medieval libraries we've been talking about, we're private. They 314 00:15:47,360 --> 00:15:50,320 Speaker 1: were either reserved for the use of royalty or maybe clergy. 315 00:15:50,480 --> 00:15:53,040 Speaker 1: And you know, even though there were some libraries that 316 00:15:53,120 --> 00:15:55,480 Speaker 1: were open to the public, or at least the portion 317 00:15:55,560 --> 00:15:58,320 Speaker 1: of the public that was literate, they were only allowed 318 00:15:58,360 --> 00:16:00,720 Speaker 1: to reference the books, not to borrow them or read 319 00:16:00,760 --> 00:16:04,200 Speaker 1: outside the library. And in fact, the lending library concept 320 00:16:04,200 --> 00:16:06,800 Speaker 1: that we're so familiar with, that didn't catch on until 321 00:16:06,840 --> 00:16:09,800 Speaker 1: around the eighteenth century or so. And that's when you know, 322 00:16:09,840 --> 00:16:12,520 Speaker 1: public library started to crop up in in England and 323 00:16:12,520 --> 00:16:16,480 Speaker 1: in France. Yeah, there's another precursor to public lending libraries 324 00:16:16,480 --> 00:16:19,880 Speaker 1: in the US, and they were called subscription or membership libraries, 325 00:16:20,160 --> 00:16:22,800 Speaker 1: and they were funded by fees and donations from paying members. 326 00:16:22,800 --> 00:16:26,120 Speaker 1: So apparently there are still like twenty or so membership 327 00:16:26,120 --> 00:16:28,520 Speaker 1: libraries left in the US. But back in the late 328 00:16:28,560 --> 00:16:31,600 Speaker 1: eighteenth and nineteenth centuries they were all over the place. Yeah. 329 00:16:31,600 --> 00:16:34,200 Speaker 1: I wasn't aware of these until we started doing our research. 330 00:16:34,240 --> 00:16:37,240 Speaker 1: But but Ben Franklin started one in Philadelphia, right, Yeah, 331 00:16:37,280 --> 00:16:39,600 Speaker 1: that's right. It was called the Library Company, and it 332 00:16:39,680 --> 00:16:41,760 Speaker 1: was the first of its kind in the American colonies. 333 00:16:42,040 --> 00:16:44,800 Speaker 1: Franklin started in seventeen thirty one along with a like 334 00:16:44,880 --> 00:16:47,720 Speaker 1: minded group of scholars that he routinely met with, you know, 335 00:16:47,800 --> 00:16:51,720 Speaker 1: talk politics or philosophy and other smart stuff. And Franklin's 336 00:16:51,720 --> 00:16:54,320 Speaker 1: group needed a means of obtaining more reading material for 337 00:16:54,360 --> 00:16:57,440 Speaker 1: the discussions, but books were super expensive and hard to 338 00:16:57,480 --> 00:17:00,440 Speaker 1: come by, so his reading club pooled their money and 339 00:17:00,480 --> 00:17:03,360 Speaker 1: they started soliciting new members who could each contribute money 340 00:17:03,400 --> 00:17:06,320 Speaker 1: to help grow the library's collection. Yeah. But you know, 341 00:17:06,400 --> 00:17:09,520 Speaker 1: before anybody accuses Ben Franklin of being too elitist, we 342 00:17:09,520 --> 00:17:11,600 Speaker 1: we should point out that he also had a hand 343 00:17:11,640 --> 00:17:15,040 Speaker 1: in establishing the country's first public library. So this was 344 00:17:15,080 --> 00:17:17,879 Speaker 1: back in sevente Franklin caught wind of a town in 345 00:17:17,920 --> 00:17:21,680 Speaker 1: Massachusetts that had named itself after him, so he decided 346 00:17:21,720 --> 00:17:24,640 Speaker 1: to reward their flattery with a gift. Now, the town 347 00:17:24,720 --> 00:17:27,800 Speaker 1: actually asked Franklin to donate a bell for their steeple, 348 00:17:28,200 --> 00:17:30,520 Speaker 1: but he nixed the idea in favor of a collection 349 00:17:30,560 --> 00:17:34,280 Speaker 1: of books. And he declared that rather obnoxiously, at least 350 00:17:34,359 --> 00:17:38,080 Speaker 1: that since was preferable to sound. Yeah, there's nothing elitist 351 00:17:38,080 --> 00:17:41,080 Speaker 1: about that, not at all. Well, the town of Franklin 352 00:17:41,200 --> 00:17:43,840 Speaker 1: definitely was an elitist because the residents took a vote 353 00:17:43,840 --> 00:17:46,200 Speaker 1: on what to do with those donated books, and they 354 00:17:46,240 --> 00:17:49,000 Speaker 1: decided to make them available to everyone, and with that 355 00:17:49,080 --> 00:17:52,920 Speaker 1: America's first public lending library was born. That's pretty great. 356 00:17:52,960 --> 00:17:54,640 Speaker 1: But you know, we can't really talk about the history 357 00:17:54,680 --> 00:17:58,600 Speaker 1: of US libraries without mentioning Andrew Carnegie. His donations made 358 00:17:58,600 --> 00:18:00,959 Speaker 1: a huge impact on library of all men, and not 359 00:18:01,040 --> 00:18:03,440 Speaker 1: just in the States but throughout the whole world. Yeah, 360 00:18:03,440 --> 00:18:06,040 Speaker 1: it's true. I mean everyone remembers Carnegie as this wealthy 361 00:18:06,080 --> 00:18:10,399 Speaker 1: industrialist and man about town, but he was also really philanthropic, 362 00:18:10,440 --> 00:18:13,080 Speaker 1: and he gave tons of money towards projects aimed at 363 00:18:13,160 --> 00:18:15,760 Speaker 1: making the world a better place. And I'd have to 364 00:18:15,800 --> 00:18:18,960 Speaker 1: say his greatest gifts were the astounding two thousand, five 365 00:18:19,040 --> 00:18:22,960 Speaker 1: hundred and nine so called Carnegie Libraries that he funded 366 00:18:23,000 --> 00:18:26,640 Speaker 1: over just a fifty year period. Yeah, so there were 367 00:18:26,680 --> 00:18:30,040 Speaker 1: thirty five hundred public libraries in the US by which 368 00:18:30,080 --> 00:18:32,600 Speaker 1: is a crazy amount of expansion in the hundred fifty 369 00:18:32,800 --> 00:18:35,960 Speaker 1: years so since uh the first one in Franklin. But 370 00:18:37,000 --> 00:18:40,000 Speaker 1: of those thirty five hundred libraries, just shy of half 371 00:18:40,000 --> 00:18:42,800 Speaker 1: were paid for by Carnegie. That's incredible, it really is. 372 00:18:42,920 --> 00:18:44,680 Speaker 1: I mean, you know, I think what I like best 373 00:18:44,720 --> 00:18:46,960 Speaker 1: about the story is why Carnegie did all this in 374 00:18:46,960 --> 00:18:50,040 Speaker 1: the first place. So, according to his autobiography, he fell 375 00:18:50,080 --> 00:18:52,480 Speaker 1: in love with reading as a young boy in Scotland 376 00:18:52,760 --> 00:18:56,480 Speaker 1: and he would regularly borrow books from the Tradesman's subscription library, 377 00:18:56,480 --> 00:18:59,760 Speaker 1: which his father helped to start. Then years later, Carnegie 378 00:18:59,800 --> 00:19:01,960 Speaker 1: moved to Pittsburgh with his parents and got a job 379 00:19:02,000 --> 00:19:04,920 Speaker 1: at the local telegraph company. As luck would have it, 380 00:19:04,960 --> 00:19:07,720 Speaker 1: his employer actually had a private library that he allowed 381 00:19:07,760 --> 00:19:11,000 Speaker 1: his workers to borrow from on Saturdays, and this just 382 00:19:11,119 --> 00:19:14,680 Speaker 1: changed Carnegie's world. I mean, here was this wealthy businessman 383 00:19:14,880 --> 00:19:17,840 Speaker 1: lending his personal books to a bunch of blue collar kids, 384 00:19:18,119 --> 00:19:19,600 Speaker 1: you know, just so they might have a shot at 385 00:19:19,640 --> 00:19:23,760 Speaker 1: bettering themselves. And Carnegie knew that without that act of kindness, 386 00:19:23,800 --> 00:19:26,840 Speaker 1: all that knowledge would have stayed beyond their reach. And 387 00:19:26,840 --> 00:19:29,160 Speaker 1: that's when he resolved that if he ever struck it rich, 388 00:19:29,240 --> 00:19:32,560 Speaker 1: he would use his wealth to establish free libraries. And 389 00:19:32,600 --> 00:19:35,720 Speaker 1: he definitely kept his word right Even today, almost all 390 00:19:35,760 --> 00:19:38,680 Speaker 1: of the Carnegie libraries in the US are still standing, 391 00:19:38,760 --> 00:19:41,880 Speaker 1: and over half are still in use. His active libraries, 392 00:19:42,240 --> 00:19:45,080 Speaker 1: a lot of them in lower middle income areas. Yeah, 393 00:19:45,080 --> 00:19:48,040 Speaker 1: and Carnegie actually had another lasting impact on libraries that 394 00:19:48,080 --> 00:19:50,200 Speaker 1: I want to talk about. But before we get to that, 395 00:19:50,359 --> 00:20:00,600 Speaker 1: let's break for a quiz. Okay, man, go, So, since 396 00:20:00,640 --> 00:20:04,159 Speaker 1: today's episode is about libraries, we decided to look for 397 00:20:04,200 --> 00:20:06,840 Speaker 1: one of our listeners that had a library card to 398 00:20:06,960 --> 00:20:09,280 Speaker 1: come on and take a quiz, and we found one. 399 00:20:09,920 --> 00:20:12,719 Speaker 1: He's uh. He's also somebody that spent a ton of 400 00:20:12,800 --> 00:20:16,479 Speaker 1: time in libraries working on a couple of fascinating oral histories, 401 00:20:16,480 --> 00:20:19,119 Speaker 1: and we'll talk about those. But Brian Abrams, Welcome to 402 00:20:19,119 --> 00:20:22,240 Speaker 1: Part Time Genius. Hello, thanks for having me, and for 403 00:20:22,320 --> 00:20:25,000 Speaker 1: full disclosure, Brian is one of our long time friends, 404 00:20:25,040 --> 00:20:28,400 Speaker 1: worked with us on several projects in our Mental Floss days, 405 00:20:28,480 --> 00:20:31,200 Speaker 1: and has also, as I mentioned, tackled a couple of 406 00:20:31,280 --> 00:20:34,439 Speaker 1: really fascinating oral histories and is working on another that 407 00:20:34,480 --> 00:20:36,920 Speaker 1: we can't talk about just yet. But two of them. 408 00:20:36,960 --> 00:20:40,639 Speaker 1: One was an oral history of David Letterman's top ten lists, 409 00:20:40,720 --> 00:20:43,880 Speaker 1: and another was an oral history of the movie die Hard, 410 00:20:43,960 --> 00:20:47,600 Speaker 1: Die Hard So Cool. So actually I'm curious, Brian, can 411 00:20:47,640 --> 00:20:49,199 Speaker 1: you just tell us a little bit about when you 412 00:20:49,280 --> 00:20:51,800 Speaker 1: decided to tackle these, Like, how did you decide to 413 00:20:51,920 --> 00:20:56,240 Speaker 1: do oral histories on these two very different things. That's 414 00:20:56,240 --> 00:20:59,000 Speaker 1: a that's actually a really interesting question. It's and it's 415 00:20:59,040 --> 00:21:01,399 Speaker 1: one that's easy to answer. I was given to contract 416 00:21:01,480 --> 00:21:07,959 Speaker 1: to do them, and you know, you know me, um shines. 417 00:21:10,359 --> 00:21:15,040 Speaker 1: Sounds like you had a real passion for them. Yes, exactly, Uh, 418 00:21:15,160 --> 00:21:18,920 Speaker 1: Dinard posters all over my walls, Um. But it's it's 419 00:21:19,119 --> 00:21:21,560 Speaker 1: it's amazing to me who you got to talk to? 420 00:21:21,560 --> 00:21:25,439 Speaker 1: You like you got former um right, presidents of NBC 421 00:21:25,680 --> 00:21:28,480 Speaker 1: for the David Letterman one and like all these celebrities 422 00:21:28,480 --> 00:21:30,199 Speaker 1: for the die Hard. Can you talk a little bit 423 00:21:30,200 --> 00:21:34,160 Speaker 1: about how you can actually approach those people. Yeah, it's 424 00:21:34,200 --> 00:21:37,560 Speaker 1: actually really difficult. I think that, you know, I think 425 00:21:37,600 --> 00:21:40,919 Speaker 1: a lot of old histories are sort of done in 426 00:21:40,680 --> 00:21:43,879 Speaker 1: in a very authorized way. You know, the author or 427 00:21:43,880 --> 00:21:46,560 Speaker 1: the author's people, they go to, you know, the top 428 00:21:46,600 --> 00:21:48,920 Speaker 1: exec right. Maybe you know, if you're gonna do it 429 00:21:49,240 --> 00:21:51,640 Speaker 1: normal history on say Saturday Night Live, you kind of 430 00:21:51,840 --> 00:21:53,800 Speaker 1: you get the okay from Lauren Michaels and then you 431 00:21:53,800 --> 00:21:56,480 Speaker 1: can go around and talk to all the usual suspects 432 00:21:56,520 --> 00:22:00,480 Speaker 1: who were there. And I did not do that. I 433 00:22:00,520 --> 00:22:03,879 Speaker 1: was working on the outside in and it was very difficult, 434 00:22:04,160 --> 00:22:06,960 Speaker 1: and it took a lot of time to finally wrangle 435 00:22:07,280 --> 00:22:10,919 Speaker 1: one by one of all these people that sort of 436 00:22:10,960 --> 00:22:15,760 Speaker 1: make up the quote story of die Hard for instance, which, um, 437 00:22:15,840 --> 00:22:19,520 Speaker 1: you know, it took a long time and I probably 438 00:22:19,560 --> 00:22:22,800 Speaker 1: needed you know, three dozen sources before say one of 439 00:22:22,800 --> 00:22:26,120 Speaker 1: the main stars or one of the studio exacts would 440 00:22:26,119 --> 00:22:29,399 Speaker 1: be willing to you know, take my phone call. Um. 441 00:22:29,440 --> 00:22:32,119 Speaker 1: But that was a I mean, not to disparage Letterman. 442 00:22:32,200 --> 00:22:34,080 Speaker 1: Letterman is a great story, but you've I'll be thinking 443 00:22:34,119 --> 00:22:37,600 Speaker 1: about die Hard um again because of all the posters 444 00:22:37,600 --> 00:22:41,800 Speaker 1: on my wall. Um, you know, that was such a 445 00:22:41,840 --> 00:22:45,960 Speaker 1: weird constellation of a story. It wasn't just about the 446 00:22:46,080 --> 00:22:51,200 Speaker 1: making of the movie, which wasn't really a controversial production, um, 447 00:22:51,240 --> 00:22:53,760 Speaker 1: but just sort of the ways in which the producers 448 00:22:54,280 --> 00:22:57,080 Speaker 1: got to that point and the ways that sort of 449 00:22:57,119 --> 00:23:00,560 Speaker 1: Bruce Willis found a stardom. It's all. It's all really. Yeah, 450 00:23:00,720 --> 00:23:02,880 Speaker 1: his name wasn't even on the movie posters, right, isn't 451 00:23:02,880 --> 00:23:05,639 Speaker 1: that part of the story. Yeah, that's that's true. That 452 00:23:05,720 --> 00:23:10,640 Speaker 1: the original one sheet, I think they wanted the studio 453 00:23:10,920 --> 00:23:15,480 Speaker 1: was worried that he Bruce Willis, who had just you know, 454 00:23:15,560 --> 00:23:18,320 Speaker 1: he was leaving TV. He had a hit series, Moonlighting, 455 00:23:18,359 --> 00:23:21,720 Speaker 1: but then he had a couple of movies, uh that 456 00:23:21,880 --> 00:23:24,280 Speaker 1: were not great or A Blind Dade came out, it 457 00:23:24,320 --> 00:23:26,000 Speaker 1: wasn't great at the box office. The second one was 458 00:23:26,040 --> 00:23:27,960 Speaker 1: called Sunset and it bombed, and they were worried that 459 00:23:28,000 --> 00:23:30,000 Speaker 1: he was kind of box office poison, and so they 460 00:23:30,000 --> 00:23:33,280 Speaker 1: wanted to make the building the star on the on 461 00:23:33,359 --> 00:23:35,680 Speaker 1: the original on the original one sheets. Yeah, that were 462 00:23:35,760 --> 00:23:39,880 Speaker 1: distributed to the theaters. That's pretty crazy. That's pretty wild. Well, 463 00:23:39,920 --> 00:23:41,920 Speaker 1: it's it's it's exciting to think about the ones that 464 00:23:41,960 --> 00:23:44,240 Speaker 1: you're working on in the coming year. So we look 465 00:23:44,320 --> 00:23:46,679 Speaker 1: forward to those. But we can't let you go without 466 00:23:46,680 --> 00:23:48,879 Speaker 1: putting you to the test with a quiz. So, so 467 00:23:48,920 --> 00:23:51,600 Speaker 1: what quiz do we have for Brian today? Mango? Because 468 00:23:51,640 --> 00:23:53,480 Speaker 1: he has a library card, We're gonna play a game 469 00:23:53,520 --> 00:23:56,760 Speaker 1: called Name that librarian. All right, that's what you've earned, 470 00:23:56,760 --> 00:23:59,719 Speaker 1: So say sixty seconds on the clock. You got your 471 00:23:59,720 --> 00:24:03,119 Speaker 1: time ready, Mango. We're gonna list off some clues and 472 00:24:03,160 --> 00:24:05,760 Speaker 1: we'll see how many of these librarians you can name 473 00:24:05,800 --> 00:24:08,200 Speaker 1: in a minute. So are you ready, Brian? Oh, I'm 474 00:24:08,240 --> 00:24:12,159 Speaker 1: so glad I called yeah. Okay, here we go. You 475 00:24:12,240 --> 00:24:15,240 Speaker 1: got your sixty seconds ready? Alright? The time? Does the 476 00:24:15,320 --> 00:24:18,960 Speaker 1: time start with the beginning a question? Or when I 477 00:24:19,160 --> 00:24:22,240 Speaker 1: finished the first question? Beginning? This is important. I've never 478 00:24:22,320 --> 00:24:25,199 Speaker 1: known how your sixty second quizzes. Okay, that's the kind 479 00:24:25,240 --> 00:24:27,320 Speaker 1: of power Mango has around here with the control of 480 00:24:27,359 --> 00:24:29,880 Speaker 1: the time. All right, here we go, Question number one. 481 00:24:30,560 --> 00:24:33,520 Speaker 1: This former librarian famously tied a key to a kite 482 00:24:33,560 --> 00:24:38,040 Speaker 1: to try to understand electricity. He also invented bifocals. Well, 483 00:24:38,040 --> 00:24:41,320 Speaker 1: that sounds like Benjamin Franklin. Alright. This former librarian wrote 484 00:24:41,320 --> 00:24:45,200 Speaker 1: a wrinkle in time. Oh, that would be Hank Kingsley 485 00:24:47,080 --> 00:24:51,320 Speaker 1: Madeline Lingo. All right. This former librarian went on to 486 00:24:51,359 --> 00:24:55,480 Speaker 1: become the first director of the FBI. Oh wow, uh yeah, 487 00:24:55,480 --> 00:24:59,120 Speaker 1: what's the face Hooper? You got it. This former librarian 488 00:24:59,160 --> 00:25:03,000 Speaker 1: wrote several but loved children's books, including Ramona Quimby age 489 00:25:03,080 --> 00:25:07,239 Speaker 1: eight and The Mouse and the Motorcycle. You got it. 490 00:25:07,440 --> 00:25:10,760 Speaker 1: This former librarian became a communist revolutionary. He's known as 491 00:25:10,800 --> 00:25:14,560 Speaker 1: the founding father of the People's Republic of China. Oh 492 00:25:14,600 --> 00:25:19,520 Speaker 1: would that be uh? This former librarian was actually named 493 00:25:19,600 --> 00:25:25,680 Speaker 1: Charles Dodgson. He wrote, Alison Wonderland, I think it's Louis Carol. 494 00:25:26,320 --> 00:25:28,240 Speaker 1: All right, let's rush, Let's get one more. This former 495 00:25:28,280 --> 00:25:30,760 Speaker 1: librarian and first Lady was married to the forty three 496 00:25:30,920 --> 00:25:35,679 Speaker 1: president of the United States. Lash you got Brian? Do 497 00:25:36,040 --> 00:25:38,159 Speaker 1: you did? Great? He only got one wrong, which entitles 498 00:25:38,200 --> 00:25:40,720 Speaker 1: him to a Certificate of Genius and an official part 499 00:25:40,720 --> 00:25:42,960 Speaker 1: time genius t shirt one of the smartest ways on 500 00:25:43,000 --> 00:25:46,239 Speaker 1: the market to cover up your torso. Congratulations. Al right, 501 00:25:46,320 --> 00:26:04,399 Speaker 1: great job, Brian, I'm honored, Thank you very much. Okay, Well, so, 502 00:26:04,560 --> 00:26:07,040 Speaker 1: besides making it much bigger, what else did Carnegie do 503 00:26:07,080 --> 00:26:09,119 Speaker 1: for the U S Library System? All right, Well, this 504 00:26:09,160 --> 00:26:12,159 Speaker 1: is going to sound a bit exaggerated, but really he 505 00:26:12,280 --> 00:26:16,760 Speaker 1: revolutionized the whole way libraries work. So before Carnegie, most 506 00:26:16,800 --> 00:26:20,360 Speaker 1: libraries operated according to what's called a closed stacks policy. 507 00:26:20,920 --> 00:26:24,080 Speaker 1: And under this closed model, patrons weren't allowed to browse 508 00:26:24,160 --> 00:26:27,399 Speaker 1: and select books from the collection by themselves. After all, 509 00:26:27,400 --> 00:26:30,159 Speaker 1: there was nothing like you know, anti theft sensors or 510 00:26:30,200 --> 00:26:33,000 Speaker 1: cameras in those days to help the libraries collection keep 511 00:26:33,040 --> 00:26:36,680 Speaker 1: from walking away. Instead, people had to ask a librarian 512 00:26:36,880 --> 00:26:39,200 Speaker 1: or a clerk to either you know, retrieve the specific 513 00:26:39,240 --> 00:26:42,000 Speaker 1: books they had in mind, or just take a gamble 514 00:26:42,040 --> 00:26:44,399 Speaker 1: and leave it to the clerk's discretion to choose something 515 00:26:44,480 --> 00:26:47,080 Speaker 1: for them. I love that. So you can tell library 516 00:26:47,119 --> 00:26:49,159 Speaker 1: staff or i mean, the mood for a mystery and 517 00:26:49,200 --> 00:26:51,280 Speaker 1: then they disappear into the back room and grabbed like 518 00:26:51,359 --> 00:26:53,520 Speaker 1: a random act at the Christie or P. D. James 519 00:26:53,600 --> 00:26:55,520 Speaker 1: or something to the close stacks. Yeah, I mean, that's 520 00:26:55,520 --> 00:26:58,000 Speaker 1: exactly how it worked. And the first five libraries that 521 00:26:58,080 --> 00:27:02,160 Speaker 1: Carnegie built actually operated this way too. But then Carnegie 522 00:27:02,160 --> 00:27:05,600 Speaker 1: began to notice the closed that system had a few problems. So, 523 00:27:05,720 --> 00:27:08,960 Speaker 1: for one thing, it was clunky. Employees were constantly bustling 524 00:27:09,000 --> 00:27:11,800 Speaker 1: back and forth to fetch books, and more workers had 525 00:27:11,800 --> 00:27:14,200 Speaker 1: to be hired to keep up, which would cause operating 526 00:27:14,280 --> 00:27:17,520 Speaker 1: costs to increase. But the even bigger problem was that 527 00:27:17,560 --> 00:27:20,680 Speaker 1: the closed stacks made the library feel, you know, really impersonal. 528 00:27:20,720 --> 00:27:22,919 Speaker 1: I guess, yes. I was just thinking it must have 529 00:27:22,960 --> 00:27:24,480 Speaker 1: been hard for a library and to get a sense 530 00:27:24,520 --> 00:27:26,679 Speaker 1: of what kind of book you'd like when there's this 531 00:27:26,760 --> 00:27:28,919 Speaker 1: massive line of people behind you who also want to 532 00:27:28,920 --> 00:27:31,520 Speaker 1: borrow something. Well, plus, there was no chance of discovering 533 00:27:31,520 --> 00:27:33,280 Speaker 1: a book you'd like on your own. I mean, it 534 00:27:33,320 --> 00:27:36,480 Speaker 1: was all left up to fate and the librarian, I guess. 535 00:27:36,520 --> 00:27:39,840 Speaker 1: But you know, Carnegie decided to change that. He started 536 00:27:39,920 --> 00:27:43,120 Speaker 1: using an open stacks policy in all of his libraries, 537 00:27:43,160 --> 00:27:46,440 Speaker 1: allowing patrons to browse the shelves for the very first time. 538 00:27:46,840 --> 00:27:49,679 Speaker 1: So pretty soon non Carnegie libraries all over the country 539 00:27:49,760 --> 00:27:52,919 Speaker 1: switched to open stacks too. You know, I'm listening to 540 00:27:52,920 --> 00:27:55,439 Speaker 1: you describe the shift to sell service libraries, and I 541 00:27:55,480 --> 00:27:57,560 Speaker 1: just keep thinking back on that idea of the libraries 542 00:27:57,600 --> 00:28:00,960 Speaker 1: the third place, you know, this accessible space that's open 543 00:28:00,960 --> 00:28:04,040 Speaker 1: to everyone, And it sounds like this open stacks policy 544 00:28:04,160 --> 00:28:07,120 Speaker 1: really helped bring that idea to fruition. And what's really 545 00:28:07,160 --> 00:28:09,480 Speaker 1: exciting now is looking around and seeing all the ways 546 00:28:09,560 --> 00:28:12,199 Speaker 1: librarians are picking up on that concept and just running 547 00:28:12,240 --> 00:28:13,800 Speaker 1: with it. So what do you mean by that? You 548 00:28:13,800 --> 00:28:16,199 Speaker 1: want to give a few examples. Yeah, So one thing 549 00:28:16,240 --> 00:28:19,080 Speaker 1: is that some libraries have begune offering self publishing and 550 00:28:19,119 --> 00:28:23,840 Speaker 1: print on demand services, like the Sacramento Public Library that 551 00:28:23,960 --> 00:28:26,840 Speaker 1: they've got this community program called I Street Press, and 552 00:28:26,880 --> 00:28:29,960 Speaker 1: it revolves around one of those really cool espresso book machines. 553 00:28:30,400 --> 00:28:32,000 Speaker 1: Those are kind of like those like the all in 554 00:28:32,040 --> 00:28:34,440 Speaker 1: one book robots, right exactly. It kind of looks like 555 00:28:34,480 --> 00:28:37,159 Speaker 1: a copy machine, but it can actually print, bind, and 556 00:28:37,200 --> 00:28:40,680 Speaker 1: trim a complete paperback in three to five minutes. Yeah, 557 00:28:40,680 --> 00:28:42,680 Speaker 1: And so one way the library uses it is to 558 00:28:42,760 --> 00:28:46,160 Speaker 1: supplement their in house book collection. The machine is connected 559 00:28:46,200 --> 00:28:49,080 Speaker 1: to this database about three million titles that are either 560 00:28:49,160 --> 00:28:52,240 Speaker 1: out of print or backlisted, so people can actually print 561 00:28:52,240 --> 00:28:54,480 Speaker 1: their own copies if they're unable to find them anywhere else. 562 00:28:54,720 --> 00:28:57,640 Speaker 1: That's pretty awesome, but it doesn't seem all that community 563 00:28:57,720 --> 00:28:59,920 Speaker 1: driven though. Well, that's the other thing the library you 564 00:29:00,080 --> 00:29:02,480 Speaker 1: is it for? So they offer these free writing and 565 00:29:02,520 --> 00:29:05,000 Speaker 1: publishing classes where people can come and learn about the 566 00:29:05,040 --> 00:29:07,520 Speaker 1: craft of writing and get a sense of whether they'd 567 00:29:07,520 --> 00:29:09,800 Speaker 1: like to self publish a book on their own. Then 568 00:29:09,840 --> 00:29:12,120 Speaker 1: if someone writes and designs their own book, they can 569 00:29:12,160 --> 00:29:14,600 Speaker 1: pronount as many copies as they want right there in 570 00:29:14,600 --> 00:29:17,240 Speaker 1: the library. And this is the coolest part. If someone 571 00:29:17,280 --> 00:29:19,480 Speaker 1: donates a copy to their book to the library, it 572 00:29:19,520 --> 00:29:22,280 Speaker 1: actually gets added to the local authors section and can 573 00:29:22,360 --> 00:29:25,240 Speaker 1: even be requested by other libraries. Oh, that is pretty cool, 574 00:29:25,280 --> 00:29:26,600 Speaker 1: and I know that'd be a lot of fun for 575 00:29:26,680 --> 00:29:28,960 Speaker 1: writers to be able to see their their own work 576 00:29:28,960 --> 00:29:31,600 Speaker 1: in a library's collection. But all right, so what about 577 00:29:31,640 --> 00:29:34,480 Speaker 1: for libraries that can't afford their own bookmaking robots? I 578 00:29:34,520 --> 00:29:36,400 Speaker 1: was looking at the cost of these things are over 579 00:29:36,400 --> 00:29:39,760 Speaker 1: a hundred thousand dollars, aren't they. Yeah, they are pretty prizy, 580 00:29:39,840 --> 00:29:42,120 Speaker 1: and that library only has one because it requested the 581 00:29:42,120 --> 00:29:45,160 Speaker 1: funds by writing for a special grant. But don't worry. 582 00:29:45,160 --> 00:29:47,840 Speaker 1: There are lots of unusual community programs and services that 583 00:29:48,000 --> 00:29:51,960 Speaker 1: even the thriftiest of libraries could adopt so um. Take, 584 00:29:52,000 --> 00:29:54,320 Speaker 1: for example, the four branches of the Queen's Library in 585 00:29:54,360 --> 00:29:57,760 Speaker 1: New York. They operate a new lending system called the Tiberry, 586 00:29:57,760 --> 00:30:00,200 Speaker 1: where patrons can check out neckties for up to three 587 00:30:00,240 --> 00:30:02,480 Speaker 1: weeks at a time. The idea has spun out of 588 00:30:02,480 --> 00:30:06,320 Speaker 1: the fact that of local libraries already offer online career 589 00:30:06,320 --> 00:30:09,400 Speaker 1: and job related services. I mean, people have been coming 590 00:30:09,400 --> 00:30:11,920 Speaker 1: to the libraries to job hunt online for years now, 591 00:30:12,040 --> 00:30:14,080 Speaker 1: so why not make sure they have something stylish to 592 00:30:14,120 --> 00:30:16,520 Speaker 1: wear when they actually land that job interview. That's pretty 593 00:30:16,560 --> 00:30:18,320 Speaker 1: neat and it makes a lot of sense to me, 594 00:30:18,320 --> 00:30:20,600 Speaker 1: I mean, although the only problem is they then have 595 00:30:20,680 --> 00:30:23,440 Speaker 1: to figure out how to tie the tie right. Well, 596 00:30:23,440 --> 00:30:26,200 Speaker 1: the Queen's Library has you covered there too. All the ties, 597 00:30:26,280 --> 00:30:28,720 Speaker 1: which are donated by the public are distributed in these 598 00:30:28,720 --> 00:30:31,560 Speaker 1: little boxes that also include this illustrated guide for how 599 00:30:31,600 --> 00:30:34,479 Speaker 1: to tie half winds or not, And there's also tips 600 00:30:34,560 --> 00:30:36,920 Speaker 1: for how to nail an interview just in case you 601 00:30:36,960 --> 00:30:39,160 Speaker 1: need some extra pointers. Wow, I guess, I mean they 602 00:30:39,240 --> 00:30:42,840 Speaker 1: they thought of everything. Yeah, surprise. Librarians are really smart 603 00:30:43,960 --> 00:30:47,040 Speaker 1: and long suffering. On a slightly different topic, I don't 604 00:30:47,040 --> 00:30:49,600 Speaker 1: know if you've seen this tumbler called I work at 605 00:30:49,600 --> 00:30:52,000 Speaker 1: a public library where library and share some of their 606 00:30:52,000 --> 00:30:55,440 Speaker 1: favorite stories and what is it? So it's this long 607 00:30:55,560 --> 00:30:59,080 Speaker 1: running collection of photos and anecdotes submitted by these war 608 00:30:59,160 --> 00:31:01,760 Speaker 1: weary library arians and it's been going since like two 609 00:31:01,760 --> 00:31:04,240 Speaker 1: thousand and eight, I think, and there's something like sixty 610 00:31:04,320 --> 00:31:07,480 Speaker 1: pages of stories at this point, and they all offered 611 00:31:07,520 --> 00:31:10,640 Speaker 1: this pretty hilarious look into the weird stuff librarians have 612 00:31:10,760 --> 00:31:13,040 Speaker 1: to deal with. Probably one of my favorites is this 613 00:31:13,080 --> 00:31:15,480 Speaker 1: one where a librarian comes across the guy lying flat 614 00:31:15,520 --> 00:31:18,000 Speaker 1: on his back in the History of Europe section of 615 00:31:18,040 --> 00:31:20,760 Speaker 1: their library, and after asking if he's all right, the 616 00:31:20,760 --> 00:31:24,360 Speaker 1: guy responds, I'm just contemplating life. But I understand if 617 00:31:24,360 --> 00:31:26,680 Speaker 1: you need me to get off the floor then according 618 00:31:26,720 --> 00:31:29,400 Speaker 1: to library, and he willingly, and with no further persuasion, 619 00:31:29,440 --> 00:31:32,560 Speaker 1: gets up and moves to a chair. That's amazing. And 620 00:31:32,560 --> 00:31:35,080 Speaker 1: and see you said it was off topic, but there's 621 00:31:35,080 --> 00:31:37,640 Speaker 1: that open communication in sense of community we've been talking 622 00:31:37,640 --> 00:31:40,000 Speaker 1: about right there right if you say so, thanks for 623 00:31:40,040 --> 00:31:43,240 Speaker 1: making it connect. Yeah, but it's sadly there are also 624 00:31:43,320 --> 00:31:45,480 Speaker 1: times when the community just can't help you out and 625 00:31:45,520 --> 00:31:48,240 Speaker 1: a person has to make his way alone. It's time 626 00:31:48,240 --> 00:31:52,600 Speaker 1: for the fact off. Wow, that's some trash talking right there. Um, 627 00:31:52,640 --> 00:31:54,240 Speaker 1: But I know, as we've got into our research for 628 00:31:54,240 --> 00:31:56,240 Speaker 1: this episode, we kept talking about some of the non 629 00:31:56,280 --> 00:31:58,640 Speaker 1: book things we've heard libraries we're lending. So why don't 630 00:31:58,640 --> 00:32:09,640 Speaker 1: we focus on those today? Ye? All right, let's see 631 00:32:09,640 --> 00:32:12,240 Speaker 1: what I've got here first. Okay, Well, if you've ever 632 00:32:12,280 --> 00:32:15,080 Speaker 1: thought about trying out surfing but didn't want to invest 633 00:32:15,120 --> 00:32:17,760 Speaker 1: in your own board or for the price of renting one, 634 00:32:18,120 --> 00:32:20,840 Speaker 1: you could just head over to the Inverlock Library and Victoria, 635 00:32:20,880 --> 00:32:23,360 Speaker 1: Australia to check out the one they keep on hand 636 00:32:23,400 --> 00:32:27,080 Speaker 1: for the locals. That's awesome bringing back to this hemisphere. 637 00:32:27,240 --> 00:32:28,800 Speaker 1: I think it's pretty great that they are now more 638 00:32:28,840 --> 00:32:30,960 Speaker 1: than a hundred libraries in the US with three D 639 00:32:31,080 --> 00:32:33,640 Speaker 1: printers that library guests can use, and for many of 640 00:32:33,680 --> 00:32:35,320 Speaker 1: them you actually have to take a couple of hours 641 00:32:35,320 --> 00:32:38,760 Speaker 1: safety course first, which does seem reasonable to me. This 642 00:32:38,880 --> 00:32:41,280 Speaker 1: some of year you'll find guests making Christmas ornaments, but 643 00:32:41,560 --> 00:32:44,360 Speaker 1: you'll also find students making models for school projects and 644 00:32:44,360 --> 00:32:46,920 Speaker 1: other stuff. That's pretty cool. Well, I think it's pretty 645 00:32:46,920 --> 00:32:50,120 Speaker 1: funny that the Aurora Public Library in Illinois allows you 646 00:32:50,200 --> 00:32:53,120 Speaker 1: to rent one of their thirty sculptures for a couple 647 00:32:53,120 --> 00:32:55,520 Speaker 1: of months. So what do you do with them? You 648 00:32:55,600 --> 00:32:57,680 Speaker 1: just make your house or your office look all fancy. 649 00:32:57,720 --> 00:33:00,520 Speaker 1: I guess I don't know where they came from. Well, 650 00:33:00,600 --> 00:33:02,600 Speaker 1: another thing you can check out that may see him 651 00:33:02,640 --> 00:33:05,080 Speaker 1: a little more useful is one of the many kitchen 652 00:33:05,080 --> 00:33:09,080 Speaker 1: tools available in several libraries now, so blenders, mixers, and 653 00:33:09,160 --> 00:33:12,880 Speaker 1: my favorite Coventry Public Library and Rhode Island offers more 654 00:33:12,880 --> 00:33:16,840 Speaker 1: than fifty different cake pans. There's even a SpongeBob one. 655 00:33:16,960 --> 00:33:19,160 Speaker 1: I'm not sure if it makes kids dumber like the 656 00:33:19,160 --> 00:33:22,040 Speaker 1: show does. As we learned our Mr. Rogers episode, we 657 00:33:22,120 --> 00:33:25,040 Speaker 1: have to test that out with our own kids. I guess. Alright, Well, 658 00:33:25,080 --> 00:33:27,760 Speaker 1: back to the third place idea we talked about earlier. 659 00:33:27,800 --> 00:33:30,080 Speaker 1: There are more than three hundred libraries in the US 660 00:33:30,160 --> 00:33:34,520 Speaker 1: that have these little seed libraries. We're growing vegetables and flowers. 661 00:33:34,560 --> 00:33:36,560 Speaker 1: And you may be wondering how this works, since you 662 00:33:36,560 --> 00:33:39,360 Speaker 1: wouldn't think you could bring those seeds back, but they 663 00:33:39,400 --> 00:33:42,200 Speaker 1: do invite guests to save their own seeds and donate 664 00:33:42,240 --> 00:33:45,120 Speaker 1: them back to the library for others to use. I 665 00:33:45,120 --> 00:33:47,200 Speaker 1: think it's pretty wild that some libraries are starting to 666 00:33:47,240 --> 00:33:50,480 Speaker 1: involve dogs in their library activities. So some use them 667 00:33:50,480 --> 00:33:53,160 Speaker 1: to encourage children to read by spending some quiet time 668 00:33:53,200 --> 00:33:56,160 Speaker 1: reading to a therapy dog, and the Yale University Law 669 00:33:56,280 --> 00:33:59,760 Speaker 1: Library has provided a dog for stressed out law students 670 00:33:59,800 --> 00:34:02,160 Speaker 1: to hang out with while their study. Who knew you 671 00:34:02,200 --> 00:34:04,920 Speaker 1: could check out a dog? That really is pretty cool, 672 00:34:04,960 --> 00:34:07,720 Speaker 1: So I think I have to give it to you. Mango. Congratulations, 673 00:34:07,760 --> 00:34:10,080 Speaker 1: you win the fact off. Oh thanks so much, I'm 674 00:34:10,120 --> 00:34:13,000 Speaker 1: so honored. Well, that's it for today's episode. Honestly, there 675 00:34:13,000 --> 00:34:15,799 Speaker 1: were too many great facts and stories about libraries to 676 00:34:15,840 --> 00:34:18,320 Speaker 1: fit them all into one episode. So if you have 677 00:34:18,360 --> 00:34:20,520 Speaker 1: any favorites you feel like we should have mentioned, let 678 00:34:20,600 --> 00:34:22,840 Speaker 1: us know. You can email us at part Time Genius 679 00:34:22,840 --> 00:34:25,640 Speaker 1: and How Stuff Works dot com or call our two 680 00:34:25,880 --> 00:34:29,320 Speaker 1: seven fact hotline. That's one eight four four pt Genius. 681 00:34:29,480 --> 00:34:32,200 Speaker 1: It is still seven, right, Mango. Oh that's great. I 682 00:34:32,200 --> 00:34:34,359 Speaker 1: can't believe we keep it going that long, but we 683 00:34:34,440 --> 00:34:51,920 Speaker 1: love hearing from you. Thanks for listening. Thanks again for listening. 684 00:34:52,040 --> 00:34:54,200 Speaker 1: Part Time Genius is a production of How Stuff Works 685 00:34:54,200 --> 00:34:56,799 Speaker 1: and wouldn't be possible without several brilliant people who do 686 00:34:56,840 --> 00:34:59,880 Speaker 1: the important things we couldn't even begin to understand. Christop 687 00:35:00,080 --> 00:35:02,520 Speaker 1: Neil does the editing thing. Noel Brown made the theme 688 00:35:02,560 --> 00:35:05,480 Speaker 1: song and does the mixy mixy sound thing. Jerry Rowland 689 00:35:05,480 --> 00:35:08,800 Speaker 1: does the exact producer thing. Gay Bluesier is our lead researcher, 690 00:35:08,840 --> 00:35:11,800 Speaker 1: with support from the Research Army including Austin Thompson, Nolan 691 00:35:11,840 --> 00:35:14,040 Speaker 1: Brown and Lucas Adams and Eves. Jeff Cook gets the 692 00:35:14,040 --> 00:35:16,319 Speaker 1: show to your ears. Good job, Eves. If you like 693 00:35:16,400 --> 00:35:18,239 Speaker 1: what you heard, we hope you'll subscribe, And if you 694 00:35:18,280 --> 00:35:20,239 Speaker 1: really really like what you've heard, maybe you could leave 695 00:35:20,239 --> 00:35:22,640 Speaker 1: a good review for us. Do we do we forget Jason? 696 00:35:22,960 --> 00:35:23,600 Speaker 1: Jason who