Inspired by this post here about other academic libraries, and the idea of "them and us" in one of the links, I feel I should relate my morning's experience. I was working the Vere Harmsworth Library, which is in the Rothermere American Institute on South Parks Road. It's a little bit of humanity at the heart of Oxford's science park. This brings with it certain inconveniences - many biochemists think it's fun to work on the really big desks in the VHL because they have lectures nearby, despite having a really big, even newer building next door, with a cafe!

The VHL was opened in 2001 (by President Clinton, no less), and has numerous parallels with Firestone Library at Princeton, not least because the books are filed using the Library of Congress system, rather than the traditional Bod system. It's modern, futuristic (that is to say, it has lots of metal, glass, and lights). I'd say the interior has a sort of exo-skeleton theme, but you'd have to see it to understand what tha means. Of course, this being Oxford, three and a bit years later and the ethernet points don't work, but that's probably a good thing for my productivity. Still, despite the amount of time I spend there, I can't say that I have an particular feelings for it, and I don't tend to do my best work in it. This is why I'm researching the thesis in the VHL (because the Franklin Papers, along with everything else, are confined), but I'll be writing it in Lincoln College Library. Lincoln Library is a vertiable god of libraries, not just because it was previously a church. Its best feature is the large line of desks in the centre of the main floor, which allow you to spread all your work out over what is really a space for three people. I find that glowering at the freshers usually means they'll sit elsewhere. I learnt long ago that what I need to work well is space, in order to spread all my papers yet still see vast quantities of table. Lincoln provides this in the bucketload.

Back to the original point, though. I was working the VHL this morning, and was well into my 'zone' of solid work and acceptance of background noise. And then. Some girl, a second year I suspect, given her reading list, came and sat down three desks behind me. She couldn't have made more noise if she had been made of metal and ball bearings. From what I could hear, she had a packet of crisps, a canned drink, and bubblewrap. I'm quite liberal in my attitude to materials that can be brought into the library - I think that water should be permissible in the usual places, as long as it is kept on the floor on in a bag, rather than a desk. But this racket went on for ten minutes, and made me fume inside. Fortunately, I soon had to leave for a lecture, so I glared at her as I left. (I doubt that'll do anything, mind.) Don't these people understand? I'm a finalist, damnit, have 12,000 words due in just over 3 weeks, and another 13 volumes of papers to go through yet! And the library doesn't open this Saturday morning (the only weekend opening) because of the animal rights protest. Disgraceful.