I recently found out that I ail from a problem that English speakers do not have a word for: tsundoku.
Tsundoku is the Japanese word for "buying books and not reading them; letting books pile up unread on shelves or floors or nightstands." Unashamedly, I will admit there's a tall pile by workstation as well as a smaller one on a desk in my living room of a mix of books that I have and have not read yet gathering dust.
(The books by my work station)
I'm not 100% sure why I still have so many books. Perhaps I was intrigued by the cover, or knew of the title from positive reviews. No matter what the reason, I know that there's that little voice in my head starts saying "You will read this eventually." And that "eventually" never really came for most of the books in these piles.
Some have told me to invest in a Kindle, so I can have thousands of books at my fingertips. But if you've read my last article, I'm into older technology. I try my best to not indulge in e-books because I know I will get too distracted by my smart devices. The temptation of clicking the home button to to check social media or watch YouTube videos every few minutes is too great on a tablet.
Though the piles get a little bit bigger every three to four months, I have figured out a simple solution to ease my Tsundoku for a little while longer.
In 2012, I was wandering the streets of New York City to try and find a better place to study. On 5th Avenue is the Stephen A. Schwarzman branch of the New York Public Library (NYPL); a gorgeous building with two lion statues in front named Patience and Fortitude guard priceless historical documents in the archives throughout its halls.
Though I would like to say that The Schwarzman building is where I learned to love the library again, but it is not. When it was open, the Rose Main Reading Room, with its high ceilings and oak tables lit with elegant bronze lamps, was riddled with tourists coming in and out of the room snapping forbidden flash photography. Every step and every chair that moved slightly would echo throughout the room and it was distracting.
The real secret is just a few blocks south at 42nd Street and 5th Avenue: The Mid-Manhattan Branch. There are five floors of books, computer stations, plenty of tables with outlets, and a much quieter atmosphere for people who want to study complicated equations or memorize their anatomy charts.
I've spent countless hours here browsing the aisles for books I've always wanted to read. And the best part is, when I do find something intriguing, borrowing from the library puts me on a deadline to read. Knowing that I only have a week or two with a book makes me want to read it right away instead of letting it pile up, making my tsundoku even worse.
Though this is the branch I tend to go to, there are still plenty of others throughout Manhattan, Staten Island, and The Bronx. Regardless, September is #LibraryCardSignUp month, so whether or not you live in the same city as me, if you have a library and you don't have a library card, sign up for one. You don't want to keep missing out on a ticket to the universe.
