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Okay, so library week was actually April 10 – 16th but I have been about a month behind since this year began. Anyway, I love libraries and look for any excuse to share my favorite images of libraries, both great and small.
Home libraries, or bookcases to many, bring such warmth and interest to any room.
{St. John’s College, Cambridge England}
A terrestrial globe in the Study at Bateman’s, East Sussex. Made by Philips. Ebony and Metal. Bateman’s was the home of the writer Rudyard Kipling from 1902 to 1936.
A staircase library seems like such a great use of wall space.
The Hoose Library of Philosophy, USC (University of Southern California) is one of the prettiest libraries I’ve ever seen in person. [below]
{University of Oxford Library, England}
Do you have a favorite library? ♥ Karen
Garden, Home & Party 
laney said:
…love love love!…
…”there is no greater decoration for a room…than a room full of books”…blessings…laney
Karen B. said:
Thanks, Laney. I really do love books *and* libraries. We’re fortunate to have a very pretty, relatively new library a short drive from our house. xo, Karen
On Wed, May 11, 2016 at 3:02 AM, Garden, Home & Party wrote:
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Charity said:
As an avid reader, I just adore libraries! The seemingly endless possibilities of adventures and knowledge are an intoxicating combination. There is something so powerful about the idea of people all over rhe world at different times and different places reading the same words. The Long Library at Trinity College in Dublin is a favorite of mine. Just the smell of the old books when you enter is a delight!
Karen B. said:
Charity, I agree. Libraries have their own scent and it’s one I relish. The old, architecturally rich libraries are beyond beautiful. xo, Karen
On Wed, May 11, 2016 at 3:49 AM, Garden, Home & Party wrote:
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Marilee Friedrich said:
Karen, I love this post! The philosophy library at USC is my favorite, I spent many hours there! Xxoo Marilee
Karen B. said:
I was so surprised when Phil MacDonald showed it to us during Kyle’s initial college tour. I had no idea it was there but try to visit whenever I happen to be visiting, which isn’t ever often anymore. 😦 xo, Karen
On Wed, May 11, 2016 at 7:26 AM, Garden, Home & Party wrote:
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Leslie @Pretty Petals said:
Wonderful post Karen! Beautiful libraries and indeed:) I remember as a child visiting a library on the regular basis .. now it seems younger folks are getting so much of what they need via computers
University libraries are always incredible and that USC photo ~ wow!
Karen B. said:
Leslie, I know, I hope libraries don’t go away due to the computer. Our local library is wonderful and we enjoy visiting on a Sunday afternoon to just browse. I catch up on magazines that I no longer subscribe to and the friends of the library sells used books for next to nothing. It’s very fun. xo, Karen
On Wed, May 11, 2016 at 8:18 AM, Garden, Home & Party wrote:
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Vicki said:
Yay, libraries! I’ll definitely have to check out (get it?) USC’s philosophy library now. My favorite is the one I worked at in college. Experienced my first earthquake there, and it was in Indiana! I always wanted to be sent to retrieve books from the archives so I could browse as I went.
The print at the end of your post is too cute. You find the neatest things.
Karen B. said:
Hahaha, yes, I get it. You’re so funny! You would enjoy seeing the USC library. It’s beautiful and each visit I marvel that it’s virtually empty. Maybe that’s because I usually visit on a weekend. 🙂 xo, Karen
On Wed, May 11, 2016 at 8:34 AM, Garden, Home & Party wrote:
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Linda Coble said:
Hi Karen,
I’m a big fan of libraries too – especially old ones with wonderful architectural detailing and lots of leather bound books. My favorite is is the Boston Public Library. Very imposing from the outside and even more impressive inside. The best part is that people really use it. The day we visited, all the rooms were full of people reading and studying – quietly! The artwork is better than most museums I’ve visited with life-size murals by John Singer Sargent. What a gem! Thanks for another great post.
Karen B. said:
I’ve seen pictures of the Boston Public Library, it’s on my bucket list to see it in person one day. xo, Karen
On Wed, May 11, 2016 at 11:29 AM, Garden, Home & Party wrote:
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debra @ 5th and state said:
as a child i would be asked to be dropped off at the library as that is when my imagination soared, i could travel, visit other cultures, be a nancy drew spy……..endless! and a home without books lacks a bit of soul.
wonderful post karen!
debra
Karen B. said:
Debra, I fantasized about being Nancy Drew. 🙂 I loved her books. I wish I had saved them, especially now that I have granddaughters. xo, Karen
On Wed, May 11, 2016 at 12:04 PM, Garden, Home & Party wrote:
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debra @ 5th and state said:
the above does not make an ounce of sense…….i would ASK to be dropped off. this is a landscape tired head!
ps karen, i was unable to pin any of your lovely images
debra
D'Arcy H said:
Lovely post, Karen. I love shelves of books (especially when they go over a door), and globes just seem to go with them. The pic of the Harvard Library is stunning. I’ve made several trips to Boston but have never been to the library–a destination for next time! –D’Arcy
Karen B. said:
D’Arcy, I agree, I must see the Boston Public Library sometime in the future. I wish I’d saved my globe from childhood. 🙂 xo, Karen
On Wed, May 11, 2016 at 7:30 PM, Garden, Home & Party wrote:
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Victoria • Restoring our Victorian said:
Our library is tiny, but their internet/request form is FANTASTIC, and they’ll get nearly anything you want through the county system.
I’m loving that last photo of the poster recruiting for library protectors! My best friend is a librarian, so I’m going to send her this post, she’ll get a kick out of it!
Karen B. said:
Victoria, I noticed in an email from our local library that they now check out tech tools such as some digital video camera and another item I have never heard of. That’s pretty cool Their DVD collection is pretty amazing too, movies, British TV series and such. xo, Karen
On Thu, May 12, 2016 at 5:10 AM, Garden, Home & Party wrote:
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mydesignchic said:
I never met a library that I didn’t love!
Karen B. said:
My feelings exactly! xo, Karen
On Tue, May 17, 2016 at 8:16 PM, Garden, Home & Party wrote:
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Reviving Charm said:
A room full of books…that’s such a wonderful thing! There is just something so fascinating about the old, historic libraries that captivates me. Beautiful images. I have a few favorites..Boston being one of them.
Karen B. said:
I’ve only been to Boston once, but I loved the city and will need to return to see the famous Boston Library. Karen
On Thu, May 19, 2016 at 5:39 AM, Garden, Home & Party wrote:
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GretchenGibson said:
When we moved to Corona del Mar the local library was so close that I could walk there. I remember meeting my school friends there to work on research papers using the encyclopedias (does anyone have those anymore?).
My favorite library is the main library at the University of Washington. It’s a beautiful example of gothic architecture. I imagine that I t would be inspiring to study there!
Karen B. said:
We’ll have to make sure we visit the next time we have a girls trip to Washington!
xo,
Karen
leslie harris said:
There’s no where I’d rather be than in a room full of books. I love these images Karen!
xo
Leslie
Karen B. said:
Leslie, I agree. Have you visited the Newport Beach public library yet. It’s in the same center as Bristol Farms market. Thanks for stopping by! xo, Karen
Sent from my iPad
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After Orange County said:
Love libraries too! My son worked at the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library while he attended Duke University. He was able to put that on his resume when applying to law school and low and behold, he got the David M. Rubenstein Full Ride Scholarship to University of Chicago Law School. Who said working in a library doesn’t pay well?
Karen B. said:
What a great story. It sounds like destiny of the best kind! Thanks so much for stopping by. Karen
On Sun, Jun 5, 2016 at 10:26 AM, Garden, Home & Party wrote:
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Karen B. said:
What a great story. It sounds like destiny of the best kind! Thanks so much for stopping by.
Karen
anitapelayorivera said:
Books are like friends. They hang around the house, the keep us company on the sofa, poolside, on the deck. They speak to us, they sleep when we do, they always have something to say to us. ENJOY your summer, Karen and thank you for visiting my blog! Anita
Karen B. said:
Anita, So true. You have a lovely summer as well! xo, Karen
On Mon, Jun 13, 2016 at 3:25 AM, Garden, Home & Party wrote:
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Jayne on Weed Street said:
Love libraries! My favorite has to be my alma mater, Vassar College. I spent a lot of time in those stacks – happily so……
Karen B. said:
I can only imagine how lovely the library at Vassar must be. Libraries lower my blood pressure! 🙂
On Tue, Jun 14, 2016 at 8:59 AM, Garden, Home & Party wrote:
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