“A grand hall, filled with the gathered wisdom of ages visibly set in alcoves chastely but richly ornamented, will impress the young student with a respect for books and a sense of their importance which he will never forget.”
A library is not only a sanctuary of knowledge and the pursuit of knowing, but it also is a house of art and appreciation. The architecture, the design, and the pieces strewn around the room, are all purposely put in such a way that elicits a feeling of grandiose nature and the idea that the library is truly larger than life. When you decorate something, it is always for the purpose of drawing the eyes of others to appreciate a work. Ornamental things are seen as precious and are keepsakes from ancient time to now. How a library, especially public and institutional, decorates itself is a reflection of what the space wishes to evoke from the viewer. When it comes down to it, the individual enters and realizes that that monumental palace, the public library is his to enter and leave as he pleases. The power that comes with knowing that a space is yours, can shake the core of anyone who dares to explore.
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