On Libraries by Oliver Sacks Summary and Question Answer
Summary
The essay “On Libraries” is an autobiographical essay written by Oliver Sacks is about the praise of libraries that has encouraged him to set his paths in his intellectual career. He has written in the praise of intellectual freedom, community work, and the ecstasy of serendipitous discovery.
The essayist remembers his childhood interest in visiting libraries. His parents had set up a library at home where the essayist was often found reading the books of his choice and interest. The library was oak-paneled and there were bookcases on all four walls of it with stacks of books of different genres. He preferred to stay in the library and roam around searching books of interest. He felt free to study in the quietest environment which built him a sense of intellectual autonomy.
His formal schooling started in London. The essayist disliked the school where he had to sit silently receiving instructions and information. He wouldn’t be active under the control of others there. So, he preferred to visit the libraries where he could choose the books that suited his interest for study. He disliked passive learning in schools because he was an active reader and self-learner.
When he was at university, he visited Redcliffe Science Library and the Bodleian Library from where he gathered more knowledge about Theodore Hook and being admired by his work, started to write a biography about him. The most loved library to the essayist was the library at the Queen’s College. It was magnificent building designed by Christopher Wren. Beneath the building there were heating pipes and shelves in the underground maze. He found more historical books, manuscripts in the library.
In 1995, he moved to America. He felt difficulty to read and write on the lack of space to sit. Then, he visited the library at Albert Einstein College of medicine where he found it easy to read and write. He continued visiting libraries wherever he went and quenched the thirst knowledge sitting at a table surrounded by the heaps of books.
During 1990s in America, he was horrified by looking at the condition of the libraries. He discovered that the students were ignoring bookshelves in the libraries in favour of accessing materials in their computers. Most of the libraries seemed to be neglected, full of rubbish and thrown. Some useful books were digitized, but others were not cared and removed out. He blames the development in science and technology has replaced the libraries to digitized copies.
Understanding the text
a. Where could the author be found when he was late for lunch or dinner?
Ans: - When the author was late for lunch or dinner, he could be found at the library which was the most favourite room at his home. His library was a large oak-paneled with all four walls covered by bookcases and a solid table for writing and studying in the middle.
b. What are his first memories?
And: - According to the essayist, his first memories were the oak-paneled library at his home where he used to spend most of his time, and different books collected from various discipline by his father.
c. Why did he dislike school?
Ans: - The author disliked school because of multiple reasons because he hated the continuous instruction and information from his teachers, sitting passively in the class and listening boring lectures rather than being active to learn himself what he wanted the most.
d. What did he feel about the library?
Ans: - When the author was at library, he felt free to choose thousands of books of his interest and choice, free to roam and enjoy the free atmosphere and quiet companionship of other readers similar to his quest.
e. Why was he so biased about sciences and especially astronomy and chemistry?
Ans: - As the author grew, he was so biased about sciences and especially astronomy and chemistry because he was too much interested to study science but the library collected books on various discipline which wouldn’t provide him knowledge about astronomy and chemistry but he wanted to be focused on the subject to get wide range of knowledge he mostly preferred.
f. Why did he become so fascinated by Hook?
Ans: - Theodore Hook was the most fascinated man because he was greatly admired in the early nineteenth century for his wit and genius for theatrical and musical improvisation. He was said to have composed more than five hundred operas on the spot. Being fascinated, the author decided to write a sort of his biography or case history of him.
g. Describe library at Queen’s College?
Ans: - The library at the Queen’s College is the most loved library to the author because the library is at the magnificent building designed by Christopher Wren, the greatest English architect in the history of architecture. Beneath the library building, there is an underground maze of heating pipes and shelves in the vast subterranean holding of the library.
h. Why did the students ignore the bookshelves in the 1990s?
Ans: - The students ignored the bookshelves in the 1990s because most of the books were found in digitized form because of computer technology. They hated turning the pages of books.
i. Why was he horrified when he visited the library a couple of months ago?
Ans: - The author was horrified when he visited the library a couple of months ago because the scene of the library, he visited was quite a mess. The book shelves were sparsely (thinly) occupied. Most of the physical books were either thrown out or digitized. The libraries looked uncared.
Reference to the Context
a. The author says, “I was not a good pupil, but I was a good listener.” Justify it with the textual evidences.
Ans: - Being a good pupil literally refers to the state of being disciplined, regular and doing what the teachers instruct to do. The good child grows a good relationship with the teachers and does the way the teachers lead him or her to do. According to the essayist, he was not a good pupil but a good listener. He listened the instruction but passively. He actually didn’t like the school because he felt bored listening long lectures and instruction of the teachers. He didn’t like to remain passive. He loved to be active and learn what he loved the most exploring the books in the libraries. At libraries, he would feel free to select what he liked. There would be stacks of books in front of him and fulfil the thrust of knowledge reading there.
b. A Proverb says, “Nothing is pleasanter than exploring a library.” Does this proverb apply in the essay? Explain.
Ans: - Library exploration and receiving information about the fascinating area of learning is the pleasantest work of a scholar. At library, one can roam freely to the shelves choosing the books to read. In the classroom a student has to sit motionlessly listening the boring instruction and information. The given proverb is applicable in the essay because the essayist disliked the school because of regular instruction of the teachers. he could not be passive but wanted to be active. He wanted to roam and explore the books that suited his interest the most. He felt quite free to select the book for learning. No one would interfere in his learning effort and learning autonomy. The atmosphere of the library was quite amiable for study and the essayist had good companionship with other learners. So, exploring a library is pleasanter job.
c. Are there any other services that you would like to see added to the library?
Ans: - yes, of course. There are other services I would like to see added to the library. Library is the place for learning where we can find the books, newspapers, magazines etc. that best suits for our learning. It must be well facilitated and equipped with modern technology. The room should be made cozy, well ventilated and comfortable for sitting. The library should have the facility of E-books, internet facility, audio facility, braille copies etc. for all types of readers. The books of all discipline should be added.
The End
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