Libraries aren't just for books. They're often spaces that transform into what you need them to be: a classroom, a cyber café, a place to find answers, a quiet spot to be alone. It's actually kind of magical. This week, we have stories of people who roam the stacks and find unexpected things that just happen to be exactly what they required.
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Prologue
One Monday earlier this month, we sent five producers to record what happened at library reference desks around the country. (5 1/2 minutes)
In Praise of Limbo
There is a library that's on the border of Canada and the United States — literally on the border, with part of the library in each country. Producer Zoe Chace interviews journalist Yeganeh Torbati about how lately, it's become a critical space for a surprising set of visitors. (7 minutes)
Book Fishing In America
In Richard Brautigan's novel "The Abortion," he imagines a library where regular people can come and drop off their own unpublished books. Nothing is turned away. The books live there forever. It’s the kind of place that would never work in real life. But someone decided to try it. Producer Sean Cole has the story. (28 minutes)
You can explore the manuscripts of the Brautigan Library online.
Growing Shelf-Awareness
Lydia Sigwarth spent a lot of time in her public library growing up – all day, almost every day, for six months straight. Producer Stephanie Foo returned to that library with her, after years away. (13 1/2 minutes)
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