Okay, so maybe the title of this post is a bit tongue-in-cheek. I’m sure by this point in your life you’ve probably learned how to use the library, or at least gone to a library before (at least I hope so). But just to reiterate what you already know: libraries are great. That is the one and only point on which Leslie Knope and I will ever disagree. What could be better than an entire institution dedicated to providing books to the public for free?
At DU, we’re lucky enough to have a huge, beautiful, recently renovated library (or Academic Commons, as it’s officially called) right on campus to cater to all of our reading needs. Visitors from outside of DU can even purchase day, month for year-long passes to gain access to the services and materials offered there.
Still, as a student who loves libraries, I can’t help but feel that some students at DU under-utilize the services offered at the Anderson Academic Commons. If you’re not a PhD candidate or a frazzled thesis writer, chances are you’ve never even checked out a book from there.
Maybe students assume that the only offerings are dry, academic books you fall asleep reading at your desk at 3 a.m. But in reality, there are plenty of books and eBooks of every genre that are perfect for reading relaxation. Check out some tips below on how to utilize the library for play rather than work:
Catch Up on the Classics:
Remember all those books you were assigned in high school that you never got around to finishing? Now’s your chance. Outside of the classroom’s pressure and the obligatory apathy of high school, you might just find you have a new perspective on these classic novels, as well as a new-found enjoyment of them. Some of my personal favorite classics are “Nineteen Eighty-Four,” “The Catcher in the Rye,” “A Tale of Two Cities” and “Slaughterhouse-Five,” all of which are available through the DU library.
Check Out the Foreign Language Section:
If you’re a foreign language major or minor hoping to keep your skills up over the summer, or simply a language enthusiast looking for a challenge, the library has a nice selection of books in foreign languages. Some are translations of books originally written in English, while others were written in the author’s native tongue.
Translations are (in my experience) easier to get through, especially if you have previously read the book in English. My sophomore year I read one of the “Harry Potter” books in French (did you know that in French, the word for wand is “baguette de magique?” That literally means magic baguette) and was able to get a new perspective on the story from reading it in another language. However, reading a book in its original language can also be a great experience and will leave you feeling very accomplished afterward. Do a quick search of famous authors in your chosen language; they’re sure to be found on the library shelves.
Read that Book Everyone’s Talking About:
You can also find books that have recently been flying off of bookstore shelves, including the likes of “Gone Girl” by Gillian Flynn, “The Girl on the Train” by Paula Hawkins, “Paper Towns” by John Green and more. These popular titles are hard to nab during the school year, but when fewer students are on campus, it’s usually easier to get a copy.
Try Something New:
Maybe until now you’ve stuck to the young adult section, or dealt exclusively in historical fiction. If you’re looking to freshen things up, the DU library offers a number of magazines, newspapers (including the Clarion) and graphic novels that will help change up your reading routine and introduce you to some new writers you may just fall in love with. One of my favorite graphic novels is “Persepolis” by Marjane Satrapi, which was also adapted into an award-winning film. Both the film and the graphic novel are available through the DU library.
See the Adaptation:
Okay, so maybe this isn’t strictly book-related, but the library does have an entire section of movies and television series on DVD that you can check out for free (including those series that Netflix never seems to have). Now you can pick up a copy of whichever new book-to-movie adaptation has recently been released (as long as you’ve read the original book first. This is a book blog, after all).
The DU library isn’t just for studying and research; there are plenty of books, graphic novels, films and other media available purely for students’ enjoyment. Or, if you’d like to stray a little farther from campus, there are a number of branches of the Denver Public Library nearby, including the Eugene Field Branch Library at 810 S. University Blvd. But no matter how you’re using the library or which one you’re visiting, it’s the perfect place to find something new to read this summer.