LIKED: Noémi Dagenais “shares” how pictures and text were published in ancient times, in an analog, local area networked, non-user editable format. The teens were delighted to discover that comments could still be written in the margins.
Photo credit: MCL
MONTREAL—Local teen Remy Watt was surprised to learn this week that public libraries actually exist. “I heard my parents mention them once or twice and the librarian at school said something about the branches downtown,” Watt said with a shrug, “but I thought they were just playing.”
Watt was with friends Tuesday afternoon when he needed to make a pit stop. “I went into Wing’s and they told me I couldn’t use the crapper unless I bought some food. Mr. Wing was pointing across the street and yelling “Use library like other street kids!” I’ve probably skated past that place a million times and never noticed it.”
Upon entering the Bibliotheque Saint-Henri, Watt was shocked. “There were books everywhere. I mean EVERYWHERE! Plus, magazines and DVDs and other old-timey stuff. And you could just take them. Well, you have to get a library card first. I learned that the hard way.”
Mr. and Mrs. Watt said they took their son to libraries as a toddler, but never bothered after he discovered video games and television. “Remy seemed to respond better to moving objects. He was already using the laptop at two-and-a-half, so why revert to an archaic and limited resource?”
“I do kinda remember being around a bunch of books when I was little,” said Watt. “But I thought maybe that was just something I saw, like, in a movie. Was that the same place with the red plastic slide and story time?”
Watt said now that he’s discovered the library, he’ll be back. “I’m in this neighborhood all the time and it’s really hard to find a bathroom without a bunch of old guys hanging around it.”