International Law

?Why care about libraries??

By Viola Voß

Aus Anlass der britischen Diskussion um Bibliotheksschließungen hat britische Linguist David Crystal ein Plädoyer für Bibliotheken verfaßt.

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As this paper might be useful to others in the same position, I reproduce it below. [...] The paper can be used in support of the library movement without further permission from me.

I spy, with my little eye, something beginning with … L.
It’s a library.
L proves to be an interesting letter in English, because it introduces so many words strongly associated with the venture we are launching today: Literature. Language. Living. Loving. Lending. Learning. Leisure. Legacy. And also: Loss. Liquidation. Lament. Lunacy. We can tell the story of our enterprise by exploring the letter L. (We can do it in Welsh too, if you want: Llyfrau (books), Llenyddiaeth (literature), Llythrennedd (literacy), Lloerigrwydd (lunacy).)
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A century ago, in 1911, a king and queen symbolized that faith. They visited Aberystwyth to lay the foundation stone of the National Library of Wales. In 2011, a future king and queen will come to live nearby. In my poetic imagination, I hear Prince William looking towards Rhosneigr – down on it, even, from his helicopter – and repeating my I Spy rhyme. ‘I spy, with my royal eye…’ – but will he have to end it with ‘nothing beginning with L’? It is a scenario that I trust our political leaders will ensure we will never see. It is time for them too to make an act of faith.

Danke an Jan Wohlgemuth für den Hinweis auf den Artikel!

Full post as published by Netbib on January 20, 2011 (boomark / email).