A History of Learning

We have a beautiful huge new library in our town, called La Bibliotheque Nationale. It’s all slanty glass and metal, so you’d think it would feel cold in there and too modern to be cozy, or that it would exude the kind of blinkered and stale nationalism some are feeling from the new cinema du Parc; but instead it manages to avoid all that. It feels open, but somehow twisty and mysterious like a good library should, and there are deep comfy chairs and displays of interesting things on every floor and a gallery in the basement. Somehow the whole chemistry feels right; you can tell because the place is completely bustling with people of all ages and nationalities, and everyone from my teenage sisters, to artsy hipsters and grandfolks have told me how they love it. You can check out pictures from the architects here.

And to top it off, it looks like there’s going to be some fascinating collections put together in there for our collective perusal. Like right now, for example, you can check out the entire history of our primary school manuals. The shape of education, the whole way knowledge has been framed for Quebec kids, is on display here - dating back to the ones produced in France for the new colony in the 1700’s. I think instructional manuals are fascinating, and also a good place to begin to make art from. Playing with the instructional style is very much a part of what we attempted with the Workbook 1.0, and what we’ll be playing with in future versions of those weird art/open source manuals. I actually had a great talk last night with a few of the Kidnapper guys about the projects we’re hoping to put together in this weird workbook area and i’m all excited about it again, but I think that’s all I’ll say on that subject for just yet. Meanwhile, I’ll definitely be heading down to see these 300 years of instruction and take some notes! (by the by - I also had a great chat with laywer/writer friend Sylvia last night about being her side-kick-with-big-earrings in a corporate crime fighting future, and she mentionned that her magazine project, No Mean Dream should be seeing daylight soon, so yay and keep an eye out for that.. given everyone who’s involved, i guarantee that’s gonna be a dear thing when it emerges, heads up. =)