LIBRARIES...

"The faint aroma of gum and calico that hangs about a
library is as the fragrance of incense to me. I think the
most beautiful sight is the gilt-edged backs of a row of
books on a shelf. The alley between two well-stocked
shelves in a hall fills me with the same delight as passing
through a silent avenue of trees. The colour of a
binding-cloth and its smooth texture gives me the same
pleasure as touching a flower on its stalk. A good library
hall has an atmosphere which elates. I have seen
one or two University Libraries that have the same atmosphere
as a chapel, with large windows, great trees
outside, and glass door sliding on noiseless hinges."
-R. K. Narayan, The Hindu, 23rd September, 1951