So for the first time today, I went down to the first floor of Koerner Library (the entrance is on the third floor and the majority of the books I ever check out are on the fourth and fifth floors). But thanks to the desire to read Dr. Zhivago, I had to go down instead of up this afternoon.

And this is all I have to say: that is the creepiest motherfucking floor of any library I’ve ever been in.

Libraries are usually, to me, quite comforting things—they inspire one to write, they inspire one to read. They’re fun to get lost in and wander around until you find the obscure little corners full of shelves of authors’ works that sit largely unread by the general public (the structural equation modeling section, anyone?). In short, they’re motivating, quiet, wonderful things that serve to quench intellectual wanderlust.

The first floor of Koerner was none of these. I just wanted to sprint to Pasternak’s little corner, snatch up my book, and get the hell out. There was no one down there, however, save maybe two people. So ignoring the not-so-subtle drone of the building air intake wall (which you shall see), I took a short little video of the place.

The creepy vibe on the video doesn’t even reach 10% of the level it is in real life. Seriously. It was scary as hell down there. That humming you hear when I’m close to the vent is much louder in real life, too, and permeates throughout the whole floor at a level my camera mic can apparently not pick up. Check it out:

Floor 1

Oh yeah, and those wheel things on the sides of the shelves swing the shelves outward so people can get to the journals inside. The second time I’m zooming in on the vid is where a wheel is turning, but you can’t see it, unfortunately.

Gah.

Today’s song: Show Me Love by Robyn