Any Northeastern student who has attempted to find a spot to study in Snell Library has encountered the same pressing problem––a lack of vacant seats. The same pattern of climbing the stairs, meandering around the floor to no avail, and returning to the stairs emerges, taking students all the way to the fourth floor without finding a spot to settle in and work. As a student at a big university with a small library, it can be frustrating to feel like there isn’t a quiet, available area to be productive. There isn’t an abundance of alternatives: the Curry Student Center can often be loud and equally crowded, and for some people, it can be difficult to study in their own rooms.
In search of a more ideal workspace, I headed to the Boston Public Library for the first time. It was far from my last. Complete with old-fashioned flair in Bates Hall and modern vibes in Tech Central, the Boston Public Library is the best of both worlds. Many of the tables have places to plug in laptops, so it’s easy to pick a spot and stay there for hours. To be fair, the library can also be full of students from all over the city, especially during finals. Even so, it can be refreshing to get off campus for a bit and find a comfortable spot to get homework done. However, the greatest appeal of the Boston Public Library isn’t its distinctive charm or conduciveness to getting work done, but rather the incredible range of books available throughout the building. It’s the third-largest public library in the United States and there is no shortage of titles to be found, whether for academic purposes or pleasure reading. Book-lover or not, being there inspires a desire to read.
I quickly fell under that spell. Unfortunately, the process of getting a card so I could check out books was anything but smooth. Upon discovering that Snell Library didn’t have a novel I’d been wanting to read, I went looking for it at the Boston Public Library. The first time I attempted to get a library card, I was asked if I was a Massachusetts resident and was required to present state ID. As a resident of Oregon, I had to say no, and I thought that that was the end of it. Determined to read the book I wanted though, I would go to the library after classes to read it, hoping that no one else had checked it out. I was able to finish it in its entirety without taking it outside the library, but I still wished that I could get a library card. As a student, I spend most of my time in Boston, and I even have taxes withheld from my paychecks. Surely, I should be able to get a card.
It wasn’t until much later that I found out I could present proof of my Boston address to get a library card, which I promptly did. Since then, I have been free to check out more books of choice and reap the many benefits of reading. As a student on co-op, it is much easier to take advantage of spare time to read books, and I’m surely going to make the most of the six months that I have without schoolwork to read more than ever. Without realizing so, I developed an unconscious goal for 2020: read a few books in Spanish and read as much as possible while I have the chance. I didn’t want to spend my newfound free time scrolling through social media and wasting the days away. I wanted to accomplish something personal by the end of my first foray into the professional world. My Goodreads list is longer than my last International Relations essay, but it’s a relief to finally have the opportunity to make a dent in it, as formidable as that task looks right now. It’s harder to find the time than I expected, but with a Boston Public Library card, I’m well on my way to accomplishing those personal goals.
