Library-Hopping Adventure #3 #amreading #amwriting

/ Eve Messenger

 

Why I Like Writing in Libraries:

  • They’re libraries, as in churches of books.
  • They’re free. No obligation to buy coffee.
  • They’re MUCH quieter than Starbucks.
  • Some are open until as late as 9pm–perfect for evening writing. University libraries have even later hours–much later–often until 2 in the morning. (Thank you, night-owl college students.)
  • For weekend writing, libraries are the best. Most are open on Saturdays, and some even have Sunday hours. Which brings me to this week’s library-hopping adventure: Newport Beach Central Library.

Newport Beach Central Library is huge, a whopping 71,000 sq. ft.–so big I had to use the panorama feature on my camera to photograph the building facade. And again with the palm trees. Are there any libraries in my county without palm trees? Hmm, that’s a question for the next library-hopping adventure. Ext NB Central Library.jpg

The Good

  • This library is open on Sundays.
  • Because I keep the latest versions of my works in progress on Google Docs, I appreciate that Newport Beach Central Library offers a generous five hours of free internet access–with a library card. So, of course, I signed up for a library card. 🙂 In fact, I want to collect a whole DECK of library cards, one for each of the 33 cities in my county, plus the county library  system (which I already have). So far, at three different cities, I’ve been able to sign up for a library card even though I don’t reside in the actual city.
  • Newport Beach Central Library is super quiet. I got in an hour of uninterrupted writing, and it was very peaceful.

The Good & Bad

Newport Beach Central Library has tons and tons and tons of seating. . . none of it the least bit inviting. And I wished I had a cushion for the hard wooden chair.

Study Table.jpg

The Bad

  • Not that I should be staring out windows while writing, but it’s worth noting that the view–which you’d think would be amazing since this library is located in a beach town–was not very good, just street traffic and overly landscaped parking lots.
  • At the top of the stairs is a large open area with a credit union and a bistro, which totally had the feel of a mall. Call me old-fashioned, but I like my libraries mall-less.

Random Highlight

There’s an 8-ft. bunny statue on the lawn. Yes, just sitting out there all by his lonesome, no plaque or anything. No one knows why this is. Maybe the giant bunny is on a library-“hopping” adventure of his own. XD

8 ft rabbit.jpg

–Eve Messenger

16 thoughts on “Library-Hopping Adventure #3 #amreading #amwriting”

  2. Pingback: Library-Hopping Adventure #3 #amreading #amwriting — Eve Messenger’s OtherWORDly Endeavors | Cogpunk Steamscribe

  6. I also love writing in libraries, but the uninviting/uncomfortable seating you mentioned is often a problem… I can handle a couple of hours but then I need to move on. At least this library has lots available though – at my uni library you had to go chair hunting for a while before you found anything!

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  7. Libraries, to me, are a harbor of sanity in a chaotic world. No matter what problem you’re having, there’s a book to tell you that you aren’t alone, and someone else has had to deal with it, too. Plus the quiet, a much-neglected concept in today’s world.

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  10. I love writing in libraries, but I tend to prefer writing in cafes because they tend to be quieter, and I don’t mind buying coffee and a pastry. And there are like three cafes that I do this in often, especially around NaNoWriMo, so they know who I am and don’t bug me if I take up a table for a couple of hours because they know I’ll be quiet and move if they need more space.

    Thanks for stopping by Writing on a Vintage Typewriter!

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    • Cafes are lovely places to write, for sure. On a teacher’s salary, I must find any place I can in which to quietly write for free. Hey, in another month and a half all of us WriMo’s will be making our way to every possible writing stop. Can’t wait!

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