The sign on the door of the sun-filled room in the front right corner of the Harvard Public Library’s second floor is a gentle admonition: “The reading room is the library’s designated quiet room. Please limit all conversation in consideration of others.” But as you open the door and take a step into the room, you discover that the creaking floorboards have no respect for the rules. The sound stops you in your tracks. As you consider making a quick exit, you notice that the other patrons didn’t even look up. They seem to be in their own world, and as you’re drawn into the room by the first few items that spark your curiosity, you find yourself entering your own world as well.
Fiction from A to Z
Although books by authors whose names begin with ‘A’ to ‘Cor’ are on the racks just outside the room and mysteries are to be found downstairs, the reading room is where you’ll find the bulk of the library’s fiction collection. Just browsing the shelves is entertaining. Among the romance and suspense novels are eye-catching titles such as “Faith Bass Darling’s Last Garage Sale” and “NNNNN.” “Catcher in the Rye” and “To Kill a Mockingbird” bring back memories of high school English class. Titles with familiar places in them, such as “That Old Cape Magic,” provide an instant connection to Harvard residents that spend time there.
If you’d actually like to read a book (which is by no means necessary), browsing by letter can help narrow your choices, especially if you choose the right letter. “Q”, for instance, will lead you to a single shelf containing books by five authors. But even there, the tales take you far and wide. They include the story of a boy growing up in an Arab society inside Israel (“Dancing Arabs”), a satirical look at the life of the aristocracy in 19th-century Portugal (“The Maias”), and a thriller that posits a mere 500 influential people run Washington, D.C. (“The 500”).
For a bit more direction, you’ll find a variety of fiction guides along the far wall. They include “Now Read This: A Guide to Mainstream Fiction” and “Best Books of 2012,” which contains award winners and finalists from that year. There are also specialized guides, such as “Historical Fiction” and “Make Mine a Mystery.” There’s even a list of “Downton Abbey” read-alikes, as well as a list of light reading.
News from Harvard and beyond
Fiction books are not all that draws people to the reading room. On the free-standing racks on the left side of the room is the library’s collection of magazines and newspapers, including the latest edition of the Harvard Press, Harvard Hillside, and Harvard Post, as well as the daily Boston Globe, Worcester Telegram & Gazette, and New York Times. You’ll also find the latest Wall St. Journal, Investor’s Business Daily, and Barron’s. Sunday papers are available on Monday, and the New York Times Book Review and New York Times Magazine are on the shelf separately from the newspaper.
The list of magazines in the reading room is too long to print here, about 100, but suffice it to say it includes most of the publications found in a typical dentist’s waiting room. The collection goes well beyond that, though, to offerings such as This Old House, Rolling Stone, and Popular Mechanics. For local interest, there’s Boston, Yankee, and Down East.
For sports enthusiasts, there are specialized publications such as Tennis, Runners, and Canoe & Kayak. Cooks can choose from Bon Appétit, Cook’s Illustrated, and Cooking Light. Gardeners will find Gardens Illustrated and Organic Gardening. Entertainment Weekly and People cover fame; Money, Kiplinger’s, and a host of others cover fortune. There’s also a plethora of niche magazines, like Sky & Telescope, Equus, and Model Railroader.
Browsing through the magazines can even bring back memories of your parents’ magazine rack, overflowing with copies of Reader’s Digest (a full-size magazine now), Field and Stream (yes, they still use that disconcerting cover photo of the deer staring at you), and Ladies’ Home Journal (much updated). One magazine that you won’t find on the racks is the current edition of People. That’s kept at the reference desk due to the fact that it kept disappearing. Reference librarians Lisa Gagnon and Constance McCormack don’t mind; they say that looking through the magazine gives patrons something to do while waiting for help at the desk.
Newsletters and local program catalogs too
By the windows behind the magazine racks, you’ll find current newsletters and program catalogs from local places of interest such as Tower Hill Botanic Garden, the Peabody Essex Museum, the MFA, Mass Audubon, and the Worcester Art Museum. You’ll also find lesser known local newspapers such as MetroWest495Biz, which contains business news from the MetroWest and I-495 region of Massachusetts. A recent issue contained a feature on the Devens Eco-Efficiency Center, a nonprofit that helps Devens businesses work together to reduce their impact on the environment.
A hidden stash of back issues
Most magazines are kept for at least one year. The most recent back issues are kept under the shelves, and older issues are available at the reference desk. Back issues of magazines are all available for checkout, as is the New York Times Book Review. Back issues of all newspapers are available either in the wooden drawers along the front of the room, or under the current edition’s shelf. Recent back issues of Harvard newspapers are at the reference desk, and issues reaching further back in time are in the local history room, which is the first room to the right off the main lobby downstairs.
In addition to Consumer Reports back issues, Consumer Reports Online, which contains ratings for everything from strollers to generators, is available through the library’s website. To access it, go to www.harvardpubliclibrary.org, click on Research Databases, then click on the Consumer Reports icon. When asked for your PatronID, enter the number on the back of your library card (with no spaces).
Comfortable chairs and silent laptops
The reading room is furnished with several seating options. There are wing chairs by the fireplace, club chairs in the circular alcove, and Windsor chairs around rectangular tables in the center of the room, where you’ll frequently find patrons working on their laptops. There are also two laptops with Internet access and Microsoft Office installed available for public use along the right side of the room.
So next time you’ve got some time to fill before you pick up your kids, or you’re looking for a way to spend a few peaceful hours that won’t cost you a penny, consider the reading room. Don’t let the squeaky floor deter you.
