A popular floor at North York Central, Business and Urban Affairs was crowded with goal-oriented readers during my 2010 visit. All five private study booths were occupied and each available table was taken.
One group of three patrons was making a day of it in the library. Camped out around a low table in the northwest corner, their writing surface was obscured by water bottles, fruit, croissants, papers, and cell-phones.
None of the window seats at the large tables along the south wall were available, for readers are solar, warmth-seeking creatures like cats and sunflowers. The view of Mel Lastman Square and its skating rink provided additional motivation to secure chairs by the windows.
Notices in both English and Mandarin warned us to “watch our belongings.” The warning wasn’t unnecessarily alarmist; one time I actually heard an intercom announce that a wallet had just been reported stolen.
Focusing on the acquisition of wealth in more legitimate ways, a display on debt management suggested the following books: Tame the Debt Monster, Release from Debtor’s Prison, and Green with Envy: Why Keeping Up with the Joneses is Keeping Us in Debt. I also noticed a catchy title that stood out among other recommended books: How Come THAT Idiot’s Rich and I’m Not?
Wondering if the thief had been caught and then sent home with moral fables to study, I walked to down to the third floor, Society and Recreation.
