The Library at Night

Tami Oliphant is a Ph.D. candidate in Library and Information Studies at the University of Western Ontario.

Celebrated essayist and novelist Alberto Manguel has been described as
“a keeper of the word and a guardian of the book” for good reason.
Manguel’s love letters to the written word include A History of
Reading and A Dictionary of Imaginary Places—tomes about how books and
reading connect individuals to each other and to the world. His latest
offering explores the crucial role that libraries have played throughout
history in maintaining our connection to one another. One of its central
themes is that books and libraries are essentially what make us human.

As chapter titles such as “The Library as Shadow,” “The Library
as Mind,” and “The Library as Survival” indicate, Manguel’s
conceptualization of libraries extends far beyond mere bricks and
mortar, although the construction, design, and organization of libraries
also give the author reflective pause. Brimming with personal anecdotes
and stories of intrigue, and covering everything from ancient libraries
to Internet libraries, the author takes the reader on a thrilling
journey.

Manguel suggests that libraries serve not only as humanity’s
collective memory but also as beacons of freedom in turbulent times. In
one of the most poignant parts of the book, he examines the role of the
written word and of libraries during periods of unrest and in the face
of censorship and tyranny. Equally compelling is his imagined library of
books that were never written.

Manguel’s writing is poetic and sweeping, and he covers his topic
comprehensively. Plenty of photos and illustrations illuminate the text.
A must-read for librarians, bibliophiles, and historians, The Library at
Night belongs on the shelves of both public and academic libraries.