Rhonda's Top Ten Continued: #2

by Rhonda

Ok, I walk into the lobby--it's spacious and shiny, flooded with sunshine from skylights in the ceiling and enormous two story glass walls--past display cases and cubbyholes chocked full of community info and free brochures about everything going on in Raleigh; a lounge area to my left has chairs and tables where people lounge with their laptops, using the free WiFi that's strong throughout the entire building.  I ask a woman behind a counter where is the  . . . and immediately she tells me, before I even finish my question. Following her directions, I walk up the gleaming sunlit staircase that looks like marble and turns and winds like something out of Gone With The Wind.  I reach the second floor, walk past an area filled with about thirty desktop computers, every one of them occupied, all ages and types of people surfing the net, doing research and/or writing the Great American Novel.  I spot private nooks and crannies off the wide aisles lined with bookcases, where people sit in comfy chairs. They are actually . . . reading  . . . books. 

Another counter lady points me toward a wall of doors that lead to several meeting/conference rooms (which any Wake County group can use for free--just sign up in advance like the those industrious computer occupants have done). Through one door I see a woman gesturing, talking, instructing. She stands before a table laden with beautiful sculpted, collage and painted works of art that look like they used to be . . . . books.  This must be the place! 

If you don't know where I am by now, then you need to be reminded of that tall, two story building in Cameron Village.  Now, you don't need to be told about Cameron Village; you know that fun, 50's sort of walkable shopping center-- a shopping center! Right there practically in the middle of the city! Thriving, in spite of surrounding malls and suburban shopping center sprawl!  Don't stop and shop yet.  Keep going, past Fresh Market, to the end of Clark Street.  That tall, two-story building?  The library?  You remember.

Oh, stop rolling your eyes and saying Geesh, a library?  First a movie theater and now a library?  Because this library--Cameron Village Library--did something extraordinary last week, quietly and without fanfare or splash (because it is the kind of thing they do all the time) this library introduced to about 20 people (for free!) an art form that is the latest hottest thing, an underground art movement, in other cities, spreading faster than kudzu roots; a new kind of art that several well known artists have taken up, whose amazing creations are now on display at MOMA in NYC and the like.   

I walk into the room. Immediately I'm aware of a bustling busy-ness at the several long tables, and realize the workshop already started, so I apologize to the instructor for being late and turn toward one of the tables to take a seat.  I stop, horrified.  People are tearing up library books.  They are furiously ripping the pages right out of books! As fast as they can, they rip pages and toss them on the floor.  Am I in the wrong room after all?  Did I misunderstand the tiny notice I spotted while scanning the A & E section as I do every week, searching for the unusual happening, the barely known but awesome band or writer or artist coming to Raleigh? That miniscule listing, entitled "Transform Old Books into New Art" had snagged my attention. Last winter, in Tucson, I saw artists of all sorts--sculptors, painters, print makers, multimedia artists--all of them applying their particular skill to make what is called "Altered Books." 

This is the right place, the teacher says, laughing. She is Tracy Johnson, the manager of Panopolie, a beading store in Raleigh.  She says she instructed the class to rip out pages--to remove around 40 % of the book.  This is how you start an "Altered Book."  Take an old book that has committed no crime other than to become very outdated and very unread, and is now sentenced to the landfill with about a hundred of its buddies (and that's just in this room alone for this class; tons of them go into the landfill all the time) and you rip out a bunch of its pages, to make room for what you do to the remaining pages: you will paint, collage, pierce, fold, cut, twist, tie, punch, lace, sculpt, bind, glue, stitch, any thing at all, whatever your vision and artistic eye leads you to do.  And this former book is not only rescued from certain death; it becomes art, your art.

For two hours last Thursday, at no cost, I made an altered book, thanks to Cameron Village Library and Panopolie (in addition to beading supplies, the store sells material for book arts, and is starting to offer classes in altered books and handmade journals, taught by Dawn who brings this new art form to Raleigh all the way from her former city--New Orleans).

Coming up (for free!) at Cameron Village Library:

MYSTERY AUTHOR PANEL DISCUSSION June 5  at 6 PM, famous writers right here!

LOCAL AUTHOR PANEL DISCUSSION June 10 at 2 PM  More famous writers (of the local literary sort)

PRESS 53 PUBLISHING Sunday June 3 at 2:30 PM: a successful small press in Raleigh and the authors they publish will talk about writing, getting into print, etc.

So, turn off your 500 Cable/Satellite TV/Radio set, get off your $100 month phone/broadband digital gadgets and visit this sunlit spot with free books, free wifi, free computer use, free meeting space, free audiobooks, free workshops, free information on anything you want to know and I mean anything (and from far better sources than Google or Wikipedia).  That counter lady who knew what I wanted before I said it?  She is called a librarian.  Every librarian I have ever known loves to give information.  That is what they are there for.  Imagine.  A real person that is helpful, accurate, and kind; a human being with a talent for sensing what you want before you say it, the way a good auto mechanic just knows what your car needs by looking at it. This is healing stuff for people who are tired of automated menus and computerized programs that pretend to do what libraries really do. Get thee to the library.  Take a book cure.

Comments

[Joshua]

The only thing that would make the library better is if it had a collection of DVDs and CDs.

[jarobinson1]

I love the library (I was there on Tuesday), but their collection of mysteries needs a little work. For other mystery addicts out there, check out Nice Price Books and Reader's Corner on Hillsborough St. - they are gems and the used books there sell for practically nothing.

Disclaimer: I'm addicted to OLD mysteries. The Cameron Village Library might have a great collection of recent best-sellers.

[Laura]

Thanks for posting this. What a gorgeous library! I hope to move to Raleigh next year and plan to live close-in. It's nice to know there's a good library nearby.

Looking forward to the rest of your list!

[Betsy]

I love the new library & go there at least twice a week! The renovated space has public meeting rooms, art exhibits, public computers and copiers, and other services -- all of which I've found useful.

I used to live in a low-tax, low quality-of-life community where the library was only open after 5 one night each week. So every time I look at Cameron Village Public Library I think how nice it is to live in a community that has assets like this.

[rhonda]

low-tax, low quality of life . . . wait a minute. Isn't that a contradiciton? I think I know what you mean--a community that pays a higher tax results in an area with better public facilities; and you are right about taxes--all that free stuff is paid for by us, the taxpayers. but . . . I know many people in Raleigh purposely living a very low-tax lifestyle (no not the ones with high paid loophole finder accountants!!) I think you know them too, Betsy, unless I have you mixed up with someone else. Anyway, Cameron Village Library has been essential to a bunch of Raleigh people trying to live a low-impact, sustainable, sort of green existence which means no car, no McMansion house, and no glittery career; they work at jobs that don't require you to have these expensive trappings. They rely on Canmeron Village library for computer and internet access. Now they are not freeloaders--they often have to wait a long time to use the library computers, which most of us would never do, we are in too much of a hurry. While they wait for their time slot, they read all the mags and newspapers they want for free; they find out about all kinds of interesting free events and activities most of us never know about, by studying the bulletin boards and literature racks; they get the latest bus routes & schedules (right there in the entry to the left); they check out their books ( they don't buy books, except those awesome used bargains at Reader Corner. Of course it's not just young green radicals doing this; many people in Raleigh live this lifestyle because they don't have a choice. They are poor. Libraries seem to me to be the last gasp of democracy in this country. Income doesn't mean a thing at a library. While social services and affordable health care and great schools become increasingly out of reach for more and more people, the library is still there, quietly helping people for free, as much as they ever have, maybe more. Why is that? Maybe I shouldn't point out this great secret; the social program slasher people might find out they overlooked libraries and go for them with their machetes. Libraries are quiet little places; so low-key and secret they're almost subversive. Shhhh.

[Betsy]

I just meant the policy emphasis of the local government in that place was to keep taxes absolutely as low as possible. As a result, every public service was of the lowest quality -- schools, libraries, parks, roads, water, etc.

[rhonda]

I understand. That makes sense. Thanks for reminding us that an awesome library like Cameron w/ all that great free stuff is paid for by . . . us! Through our taxes! And we are fortunate to live in an area where these things matter to enough people, cause it's true, some communities prefer lower taxes and vote that way & have lower quality services as a result. Aren't those the same people that turn around and complain about the potholes in the roads? ;-) One last note--our taxes don't always go to the services we think deserve the most money and often go where, if we knew about it, we wouldn't want it to go at all! I was really angry when a huge chunk of our taxes went to a multimillion- profiting company like Dell, for nothing. Awareness and education is the key. People need to find out where their taxes go,and if you see an underfunded program and you pay taxes--get involved! Learn who is making the decisions about how your money is spent, and get your voice heard.
End of sermon. (not meant for you Betsy--you know these things!)

[David]

Generally, I would think people with the highest quality of life would be the ones who could keep as much of their disposable income as possible in order to enhance their quality of life, be it for groceries or a nice car. If enough people feel that a public transportation system would help enhance their quality of life, then I guarantee one would spring up to meet the market demand. And that can be a wonderful thing!

[rhonda]

Weel, that depends on what you mean by quality of life. If you keep your income for a nice car instead of paying taxes, your nice car will not be nice for long when you drive it over not-so-nice crater-sized pot holes and get rammed by other vehicles due to malfunctioning traffic lights or speeders doing 80 mph in a 45 mph zone cause they know they can get away w/ it due to no money to pay those who enforce speed limits, fix lights and potholes, etc.

And "guarantee"? Hmmmm. A lot of people who get stuck on I-40 for an hour or more each day (for what should be a 20 min commute) have been wanting a light rail system for many years; but their wanting one has not brought one.

[150]

So what happened to the Top10 #3-Monkeytime discussion? Will it return? Is the Top10 going to continue?

As it's Thursday morning, did the blog get mentioned on "Monkeytime" last night? I know Morman's blog links to raleighing, so I wouldn't be surprised. If so, what did he say about it?

[Pineview Style]

Yeah, I've noticed that #3 Monkeytime disappeared in the night. This seemed to be one of the more controversial topics on this blog. (Or at least since I started visiting last fall.) And now it has dissappeared. What happened?

[Woody]

I guess Daddy is punishing us. Oh well, it's his site.

[Pineview Style]

Well, the comments to #3 seemed civil enough. I guess he didn't want things to get outta hand....

[Chris]

While I am sure that many of you will not believe me, the post was accidentally deleted by Rhonda while she was trying to clean up the various comments which for whatever reason were posted in triplicate. So, I have sent her the original article from the daily email and she will probably repost it. But, the comments are lost for good.

Sorry to let the conspiracy theorists down.

[Pineview Style]

Oops! Maybe we'll find a "new and improved" #3 reason to live in Rough Raleigh....

[150]

Well, I'll have to take your word on that explanation, Chris, although it doesn't add up to me. Two days later and it's not back, Rhonda didn't respond to the last few days of comments, and she had already cleaned up the triplicate posts at least once. I do understand that these things happen, though.

In the end, I just hope the top10 hasn't been destroyed for Rhonda. It was generating discussion, which is good, and it's interesting to see the opinions of others. I don't envy her, though, as the pressure is on for her next entry. I'm definitely looking forward to it.