Wednesday, March 21, 2007

Cy-Fair College Library

On the very first week in US, my hubby took me to the library nearby..The Cy-Fair college library.. It may not be the best one i have seen but believe me.. the place is huge.. N simply awesome!!! Its open to the public n bein a college library feels so young and alive and active!!!
Its open to the public of Harris county(The county where we live) and each person can take up to 50 items(books, Cd's, movies..)I don't know abt the readers here in US but i was really very very impressed..
Moreover, there are hundreds of flat screen computers n laptops all fully connected to the Internet and again open to the public!!! N the number of books is also remarkable.. You name it and they have it.. each arranged in shelves under various headings n sorted by the name of the author.
There are also many short courses for people of all age groups under the continuing education program.. From my first visit to the place i have dreamt of joining this college n bein a part of it.. but the possibility of that looks very bleak.. the reason for that will be revealed to u in the next few weeks..
However we come here on most afternoons to read, browse or simple sit and people watch.. :) it feels gud.. N now here i am sitting on one of those very computers and bringing this post to u :-)

Thinking about this library here i get this thought about realising its worth.. May be because i am new to this country all this looks really fascinating to me n means a gr8 deal.. But may be for the kids here, its like a basic thing..

I remember the times when we got poor grades at school or were whiling away our study time, my father used to say that we don't understand the value of the facilities being showered on us..How hard were the times when he n his siblings had to study under candle lights and kerosene lamps..The definition of basic necessities has changed soo much in one generation..Like for kids today, the computer and Internet are no big deal.. they may not understand the power or knowledge underlying it..I am a huge fan of the Internet especially Google, for the toughest queries find some clues on Google(n for ppl like me the entire right answers) Don't know if any of u ever ponder on these lines as me.. Do let me know.. And i keep my fingers crossed when i think of the basic necessities for next generation :-)

17 comments:

Keshi said...

true...we often dun realise the value of things and take em for granted all the time.

Keshi.

Anonymous said...

one thing that impressed me was "borrow 50 items"!
Are you sure you typed it correctly?
Even the American Library in Delhi/Mumbai doesn't allow that many items and so does BCL :(

Preeti Shenoy said...

Sounds like heaven.If i were you I think I'd be living in the library :-)Thought you already are young and active ;-)(am almost guessing THE reason)

Chica, Cienna, and Cali said...

50 items is what the community lib here too in Florida allows us : this cud include books, media..........
and u r right, diya.....its kinda miraculous how internet changed our lives.....am currently reading Thomas Friedman's "the world is flat"......and for one, internet sure has made the world flatter....try n see if u can get hold of this book.....u might enjoy it ......:)

diyadear said...

keshi, hope we dont get too carried away..
tejbir, i did typr it correctly..it is "50".. ya thats wat impressed me too..
ps. ha ha i feel more young n active in a college ambience ;)

abcd said...

we took thing for granted all the time...
this is a good reminder for everyone, thank you for sharing good thoughts.

Mr. J said...

Oh yes, things have definitely changed especially with the Internet.

I guess it's the younger generation that need to realize the luxury they enjoy.. something which wasn't there for us.

Little Miss Muffet said...

oh i went crazy too the first time i went to the library...it was like heaven for a book lover like me..just couldn't believe i could read all the books for free..now i'm a regular visitor :)but yes, i was telling an american friend how things are diff for us in india..what are basic necessities here are luxuries in india..

MeMyself_n_I said...

50!!! awesome!!! over here, we're allowed six. :-(

Priya said...

Very true. In India we never appreciate the books we had and I have seen pages just missing which is horrible.

Here too you can borrow 50 items in one card.

MeMyself_n_I said...

and i did read the "affair to remember". yes quite filmy but oh- so-romantic!

diyadear said...

moi, thanks for the info. will try to read..
pink-ginger, Mr J. i cund't agree more.. i see so much difference bet the facilities enjoyed by my sis who is just 5 yrs younger to me.. v better not talk abt a generations gap!!
miss muffet those r exactly a reflection of my thoughts!!
hey teen, yes. Libraries here r really marvellous..N the neg wat can i say other than.."An affair to remember" ;)
priya, when u say here also, i am sorry i still dont know where u are.. :(

Radha said...

Excellent post Diya!
I feel that nostalgia all the time....watching kids these days carrying mobile phones & even blackberrys; playstation games & all sorts of techhie toys...its incredible how much smarter every generation is than the previous one!

Priya said...

Diya: I live in Canada:))

diyadear said...

Radha, Thanks a lot..On one hand we can be proud that the kids r getting smarter.. but at times i feel a slight sense of loss somewhere..
priya, canada is a cool place rt..

Maddy said...

hi there, totally agree with u, and when i go there , i wonder looking at the well stacked shelves, and hardly any young readers. i got to see the gratest movies ever made, for free, from the libraries here..was teh same in england, books are no longer fascinating to the younger mind, who knows, it may change..

diyadear said...

maddy,
true.. i was shocked to know that my cousins who know all the cartoon characters n harry potter only cos its been made a movie have not even heard of nancy drew,hardy boys or my favourite author enid blyton...kids hardly read books nowadays :(

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