Berkeley Public Library

My wife, K, has a class in Berkeley every other Saturday. Yesterday, I accompanied her. While she was in class I did a few errands and walked around old haunts. I walked up to the Rose Garden, a little shabby this time of year, but nice. I got a cookie at the Virginia Bakery. It is amazing to find it still in business, substantially the same as thirty years ago.

When I tired of walking I grabbed my computer from my car and headed over to the Berkeley Public Library on Shattuck. I remembered this place as a sanctuary, but I knew it had undergone some serious renovation work. I found it better than ever. It was busy but quiet. Many of the public libraries I have visited in recent years are always busy, but not quiet. They are multimedia community centers. This is a natural evolution and BPL, in the lee of the University is probably a bit behind the times. This is still a book-oriented place and has the rhythm of reading.

The main reference room is large and open with a lot of light. I sat down, opened my Ibook, and a dialog box said "You are not in range of your preferred wireless network. Would you like to join the BPL network". I clicked "yes" and was in.

- J