The restful reading space in the side nodule by the red column was the first feature to capture my attention on the fifth floor. I especially liked the low spool-shaped coffee tables in this reading area, for they would make great surfaces for squat teapots if tea parties were allowed in the library. The whimsical stools contrasted with the sober study booths that lined the north wall. All four booths were inhabited by scholars absorbed in their work.
As I walked around the rest of this floor, I began to appreciate the eclectic range of topics that came under the umbrella of Science and Technology. Its magazine collection had everything from Tropical Fish Hobbyist to Spaceflight and Weightwatchers. Interested readers could also open books about quantum mechanics, spotted owls and boatbuilding, all without leaving the room. A Legal Aid Clinic awaited clients in the southwest corner, and on a lighter note, a nearby open cabinet contained a CD collection of sound effects. To jazz up patrons’ answering machines, they could choose from the following noises: bullfrog croak, lion roar, echo canyon, sexy laugh, and a “right to remain silent” admonition. For the theatre-lovers, there were steam railway sound effects, terror/mystery noises, and rainshowers.
The last notable item on the fifth level of North York Central Library was a “Beauty and Style” display. In this tall glass cabinet, a variety of beauty aids surrounded relevant photocopied book covers propped on stands. An old-fashioned perfume atomizer with a pink tassel rested on the middle shelf near a gold chain, a plain hairdryer, a mousse bottle, and a bottle of Fendi Eau de Toilette. I’m not sure what the serious science and technology students at nearby tables made of this display, but I did notice that nobody was leaping up to join me as a fellow spectator.
Leaving the objects of beauty and style for the day, I headed downstairs to Business and Urban Affairs.