WHERE TO READ AND STUDY?

 
One third of my life I invariably spend inside campuses. I must say that I have a very good vantage point for comparing them, in terms of being friendly to students, friendly to academicians, and to the environment. 

In terms of being friendly to students, i think university X has a library that is easily accessible to all the people -- students, faculty. The books are new and heavy. It also has an art gallery and beautiful Filipiniana collection. 

University Y is beautiful architecturally speaking. It has both old and new buildings. The library is fantastic -- looks like the building is one hotel -- spic and span, glass doors, not agoraphobic at all. The computers are numerous and I don't think no student would be sent out just because there is none available at the moment. Then it even has a canteen, a few steps away from your desk where you can have coffee, delicious baked tarts, etc. And the interior decoration is also sophisticated. It also has many historical vignettes signifying the value the university plays on their past.

University Z also has old and new buildings. But it has outdated interiors. The personnel are dedicated but look glum, too serious. When you visit them, it seems as if you are being told: "Hey, when you enter here, you better think and think well." No I didn't get that at all from the the other two universities. In fact in University Y, my feeling is that  the institution is telling us: "Here are the facilities for you to savor and hope you'd get the brightest ideas for your course." 

In University Z also the libraries are located in different sites so that if you want to read culture, you walk one third of a kilometer to it. If philosophy, you walk again, climb up the stairs and walk several meters again. No, it is too taxing to navigate the directions. If you want to read up on science, take the jeepney and go to its building. 

University X gives a different feeling: "This is the library and here are the books. You may read them." No personal touch. Bahala ka sa buhay mo. 

But the library I like best are those with music books. I devour almost all, except that I wish they would all have listening facilites. University W has such, plenty of scores to look at, books to read and a nice computer with composition software which is top of the line so you can create your own music. But that computer is reserved only for those who know how to use it. 

University Z music library lacks the listening facilites and has computer facilites but only for surfing, not for listening. The last time I went to University X, computer facilites are not available but you could use you own computer inside. University Y has plenty of computers available for use on prolonged time but only for research also. 

I think senior citizens like me will be very happy to visit the libraries of these universities as it is one way of keeping Alzheimer's disease away, and of being in touch with the world, no matter how vicariously, through books and the internet. 

These are just impressions though. I hope that you'd still continue to visit the libraries.