Lovely Libraries

Libraries are the most wonderful places on the planet, hands down. One of my dreams is to be a library tourist, going around the world just to visit libraries. They are my cathedrals, with the OED at the altar.

Now, with the Fantasy Library Project, the power to design your very own paradise is here! Laurie King is asking for submissions of magical fake libraries. (Which, of course, will be filled with Hypothetical Books, as is only natural.)

Need some inspiration? Check out these gorgeous real life libraries (including Vassar's!) and drool at the beauty.

I may have to get a PhD just so I have an excuse to visit some of these.

Hypothetically Excellent

The Hypothetical Library is one of the coolest things online I have found so far.

The concept is simple: Charlie Orr, a designer, asks real writers "to provide flap copy for a book that they haven’t, won’t, but in theory could, write, and then I design a cover for it."

Brilliant idea--and it pans out really well. Go check it out! A lust after books that unfortunately do not (yet) exist.

Fun with interwebs

This recently caught my eye and I think anyone who thinks themselves a Harry Potter fan should absolutely watch it:

A Very Potter Musical

It’s an entirely student made Potter Parody, and it is sheer brilliance. If you do nothing else, watch the first video. If you find it funny, and have some time on your hands, I’d recommend watching the rest as well—it gets EVEN BETTER. Voldemort tap dancing and Malfoy singing about his secret crush on Hermione were some of my favorite parts.

Also, the blogger Parabasis is having a Shakespeare Contest, involving some pretty hilarious renditions of classic lines. I'm working on my entry now, but what's a contest without some competition? :)