It's the beginning of the end for Marywood University's old library.
It makes me sad, but I'm smart enough to know the building has outlived its usefulness. The radio and TV stations were housed in an appendage in the back, off to the right in the photo above. How I can still vividly remember that first radio shift in December of 1979. It looked so easy. It wasn't.
There were times spent gazing at the tower and antenna on the roof. I recall the amazement of my voice coming out of that assortment of steel, copper, cables and tubes.
Academically speaking, I first started coming here in high school. My school had a poor excuse for a library (which administration and the school board thought was just fine). When I really wanted to read and learn, I came here or Penn State's library in Dunmore. It was night and day when compared to high school.
This library was laid out in a circle. I tried doing the math-- a couple of visits a week, for four years. The total was in the hundreds. I still got lost nearly every time.
This is where I went every week, usually Tuesday or Wednesday, to sit down with the latest copy of "Broadcasting." I loved it. Remember, this was pre-internet. Getting caught up on industry news was a welcome break from academics.
I'd drop by every year, at least once, after I graduated. It was one of my stops on Christmas tree lighting day. The place still smelled the same-- the aroma of the books, the carpet, the papers, the magazines... Unforgettable.
This building has been replaced by one next door-- a campus severing monstrosity, a tribute to glass and steel, a glorified computer lab where a robot retrieves your book for you. Marywood needed a new library. You know how I feel about the rest. Bad design. Bad location.
My first commercial TV station was leveled a long time ago. My first commercial radio station is now a construction company office. Now, my college radio and TV stations will soon be history.
Thanks for the memories.
