Thursday, February 24, 2011
uh, not usually a bully-pulpit kinda person, but...
Those of you who follow this blog closely may recall that just about my favorite "invention" is the library. Free, public access to knowledge. The opportunity to improve yourself, learn about the world, and contribute more through self-education, regardless of your social station.
Awesome.
The Scripps Institution of Oceanography (SIO) library is apparently on the chopping block.
This is not cool.
The SIO library was far and away the best library on campus for conservation biology and ecology.
It ALWAYS had what I needed. I'd even try to do research at other libraries on campus (Central, Biomedical, etc.) 'cause they were closer, but when I did work for my upper division classes, Scripps was THE library that had what I needed.
This is the beach right below SIO library, and that is Scripps Pier. As you might imagine, due to the location, this library was particularly effective at soothing stressed-out students...
So, I'd hoof it to the ocean (poor, poor me) and get what I needed done in one, small, amazing library.
It was the first library that gave me a taste of "ah, so this is where I belong." My first clue to what I was most interested in. And I wasn't even a marine biologist.
It was so important, that one of my professors required us as part of an assignment to go to that particular library to complete an assignment.
He knew. He was also on the Board at the SD Zoo, and very involved in endangered species conservation.
The ever-amazing and changing patterns in the magical sand at La Jolla Shores, right below Scripps Institution of Oceanography and it's amazing and invaluable library.
There is a Save SIO library facebook page, and if you are interested in signing their petition, you can e-mail your name and affiliation to SaveSIOlibrary@gmail.com.
And if you're not interested, at least you got a nice shot of happy birdies on a pretty beach and some trippy sand patterns. =)
And this concludes today's Public Service Announcement.
xobiobabbler
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blah! Boo for the bad news on the library, I hope it gets saved!
ReplyDeleteAlso, that second photo is pretty fancy! Super cool shot!