Olin Library

Really nice especially the center piece the AD White Library. It’s so old world and so beautiful, the kind of place where I can imagine 19^th century masters studying and producing the influential works of their times.

This library is unbecoming of a supposedly elite university. Architecturally, its exterior mars the beauty of the Cornell Arts Quad. Its interior does worse: it crushes the soul with low ceilings and utilitarian sparseness. Even as Cornell builds a whole new campus in NYC, it simply can’t seem to have funds to renovate its major research library, the crown jewel of any humanities or social science program, and it is obvious to any visitor that it (and, it would seem by extension, the programs it is meant to support) has been left to rot since its construction in the 1960s. Harvard, Yale, Columbia, Chicago, Berkeley — all have soaring, beautiful main research libraries with cathedral nave-​like reading rooms and sumptuous architectural detail. Olin, by comparison, would have been earmarked for demolition as obsolete long ago even if it were, as it looks like it should be, a forgettable office park property in suburban New Jersey.
The collection itself is decent but could be better. Single volumes of most works mean recourse to Borrow Direct when the one and only edition is checked out. I can’t imagine how little research would get done if Cornell weren’t a member of the Ivy League and didn’t have access to its borrowing network. Organization is far from intuitive and while some books can be located easily, others require endless detective work. Once in awhile the staff (who are quite good, given the circumstances in which they have to work) manage to put on an interesting exhibition.
The café is as overcrowded and distastefully provisioned as the building is designed. And you would think the university would have thought of a way to link, by tunnel, this library with its somewhat nicer, undergraduate-​focused twin across the footpath so that a frigid or drenching walk across wasn’t necessary in inclement weather, nor separate circulation systems — but no. There’s not even a central entrance, or one to the opposite side; moving to the building next door to the east requires a long walk to the exit on the west side, followed by a long walk alongside the building to the spot outside where one was before. Olin is the physical manifestation of gross stupidity precisely where intellect is supposed to shine most brightly.
Oh, and of all places on Cornell’s campus, the library is the one where the wifi works least reliably.

Abraham Lincoln & Gettysburg Address special feature exhibit in the rare books library is amazing! There is still time to see it in December. You should definitely go! Great learning experience. Cornell has provided very informative faculty so you can ask as many questions as you want. They also have a huge collection of Lincoln & Gettysburg information, artwork, photographs, and memorabilia, including an original copy of the Gettysburg Address. I think that the other 4 copies are all owned by government, so it’s pretty cool that Cornell has one.
Olin Library in general is pretty cool. I really like the group meeting areas and Olin café. The rare book exhibits are must-​sees though. Go now!