Plans and Maps

I started my Master's at the School of Library, Archival and Information Studies at UBC last month. I'm enjoying it so far, but since I'm clearly not busy enough with a social life, homework, and all those societies and stuff, I thought I needed another project.

That project is (obviously) going to every branch of the public library in Vancouver! I really love public libraries, I remember going to them as a kid, and I've used them all over the world. I've had library cards in most places I've lived (and been a heavy user), and looked up tourist information, killed time reading comics, or used the internet in libraries in loads of places to which I've travelled.

The Vancouver Public Library website lists 22 different branches in Vancouver (this doesn't include Richmond, Burnaby, or anywhere else! We'll see if we get to those libraries at some point), and they're spread out pretty evenly across the city (see map below). Some of them are near my house, some of them are near places I go anyway, others are further out of the way, but I only have class two days a week, and if I send my library requests to those branches I have to go pick them up (I'll get fined if I don't...).

Of course the problem is that once I go to one of these libraries, I feel I have to actually use it. Which means, at the least, getting something out. I've got an ever increasing pile of things to read, and an ever increasing guilt that I should be reading stuff for class instead.