Introduction

In this post I shall: introduce and explain a figurative expression (“going to the library”); give examples to clarify its meaning and other important details; explain the necessity of it being so broad in scope and why I think it’s important.

Idioms

An idiom is a word or phrase that is not to be taken literally. They have a meaning other than the basic meaning that you find in the dictionary. For example, ‘break a leg’ is an idiom which does not literally mean to break your leg but to do your best and do it well.

What is “The Library”?

When I speak off ‘the library’/‘going to the library’/‘being in the library’ I’m not referring to a physical space (a room or a building containing books, {fiction and non-fiction} newspapers, magazines and computers) or a place that you actually go to for some reason. Instead it’s an idiom for the act of seeking out the knowledge, information, ideas and wisdom of others (aided-learning).

Examples

• When you consult a friend hoping to get their advice on a particular issue or topic, you are in “the library”.
• When you are searching YouTube/the internet for a product review, you’re in “the library”.
• When you are reading a post on this site you’re in “the library”.
• When you are watching a video on the easiest way to chop an onion, you’re in “the library”.
• When you are researching how to incorporate a company you’re in “the library”

I know I’m stretching the idiom here. It’s done, deliberately in an effort to include all of the ways/methods/mediums/means that we currently use to learn from others, as well as ways yet to be imagined, let alone invented.Obvious examples include:

live lectures (lectures we attend personally, in real-time), recorded lectures, newspaper articles, private conversations, books, audiobooks, blogs, podcasts, websites, TV programmes, the video and audio of interviews; articles and essays which are ‘all transmitted’/‘capable of being transmitted’ through the internet, TV, radio,

As new technologies ‘become available’/‘are invented’, the number of ways there are for aided learning to occur increases, it become easier for people to become educated and the cost of doing so decreases dramatically.

We are incredibly lucky to have these technologies, technologies that create vehicles which enable us to share our own knowledge with others and enable us to benefit from others who have likewise shared theirs. Note that all of these technologies are the result of the effort of millions of people, many of them entrepreneurs, engineers and scientists; without them, “where would we be?”.

Notice that all the examples, listed above, show a self motivated desire to learn. This desire manifests as action (e.g. “you searching”, “you reading”, “you going to consult someone”) it’s you being active, seeking answers to questions you care about.

When you’re not “in the library”

Just because “you attend” school/class (a building where learning is supposed to occur) doesn’t mean that you are automatically in “the library”.

I am sure that almost everyone, if not everyone reading this post has at some point had the experience of being sat in a classroom, totally board, unable to concentrate on the subject/topic/lesson that the teacher was trying to teach, perhaps you were daydreaming, staring glassy eyed out the window, concentrating on adjusting, agonising over, or examining your appearance (the grass stains or split in your ‘trousers’/‘pants’, the hair that won’t do what you want it to, the disheveled makeup in urgent need of re-application, the spot on your forehead or rash on your neck) or decorating yourself ‘and/or’ textbook or notebook with doodles and other works of fine ‘art’. In any case you were not “in the library”.

If the material is way too advanced for you, to the point where it seems that the teacher is speaking a foreign language (you don’t understand the terminology that is being used)  then you are not “in the library” because you’re unable to comprehend what is being said. (e.g. don’t know what the words relate to and how they relate to each other).

Also, imagine for a moment that one day, you’re eating lunch alone when you happen to overhear a conversation between two people sitting on the table opposite you. It’s clear to you that they are discussing a topic which they’re interested in and apparently knowledgeable about. However, to you, the topic they are discussing is uninteresting, unexciting and unimportant and so their conversation will most likely be a nuisance to you; an irritating interruption; disruptive and annoying.

Even though your ears are technically taking in information (the sound of their conversation).you’re not in the library), because you’re don’t care about the subject and therefore are making no attempt to understand it. The only questions you’ll likely be asking yourself are of the variety “when are those two going to shut up?”; “Why do they have to talk so loud?”; “don’t they know how irritating they are?”; “should I switch tables or put in my earphones?” etc. Just because you’re taking in information and can comprehend doesn’t automatically mean that you’re in ‘the library’

If you aren’t ‘consciously engaged in the process of learning’/ ‘making an effort to learn something from someone else’, then you’re not in the library.

In order for you to be in the library, you have to be consciously making an effort to learn something from someone else.

It’s importance

In my opinion there are a few reason why the ‘the library’/ ‘going to the library’ idiom is important.

• It highlights, how much we rely on other people to achieve our own goal(s), in this case particularly the information they possess and are willing to share, reinforcing the importance of learning from others.
• It helps you to conceptually think of these different means of (aided) learning as all part of one unified process and are all equally valid, aiming at the same end. (it’s important however to remember that material / information and that is available in one format say for example in a book may not be available or as easily available in another format, say in an audiobook or video and vice versa. Also, the quality of the material/ information may differ between formats as it does between sources using the same format (i.e. some books on a subject are good (accurate information/well written), some terrible (inaccurate information/ poorly written). This is why it is important to be critical of the sources that you select, don’t be prejudiced against a particular format just because some people consider it to be less scholarly/serious/legitimate, instead be critical of the information/material you accept regardless of the form it is delivered in.
• It reiterates that there are many ways of aided learning and that a method that works well for one person may not necessarily work or work as well for another. It depends on the individuals personality, ability and circumstances.
• It helps to legitimise alternative modes of aided learning, i.e. to think of alternative ‘forms’/ ‘modes’ in better, more serious light.
• It helps those who wouldn’t normally consider themselves students and who other people wouldn’t consider students (because they are finished with formal education) to view themselves as serious students, perhaps even lifelong students. (Many people hold the mistaken belief that only those who are in formal education are students, This is nonsense, I think this idea comes about because we label those too young for legal employment and those in higher education as students. This title is then replaced when we get a job or start a career, we become, a bartender/firemen/police officer/ civil servant / scientist etc. From that moment on your student days are over)
• Because we associate libraries with students, if you start thinking in terms of ‘going to the library’ then you can start viewing yourself as a student
• It highlights a distinction between two learning approaches: learning that occurs ‘in the library’ (aided learning) and learning that occurs ‘outside the library’ (unaided learning).

The essential ingredient regarding your education /your learning is you.  ‘The library’ idiom reinforces that it is you that makes decisions as to what you learn, how you learn it and when you learn it, whether insider or outside the library.

I will make reference to ‘the library’ in future posts so it will be useful to have a detailed explanation to refer back to.