Week 24: Going to the Library is #BetterByBicycle
In the span of 2 months that I stayed in Australia, I would say there are many things that I wish to take with me in the Philippines. I'm talking about the system and way of life in general, I mean with its highly developed economy and high human development index (HDI), there are definitely a lot to envy, from the perspective of someone living in a developing country. But if I have to pick three things that I truly envy, I'd say it would come down to 3R's - recreation, reading, and riding. Now this blog entry is mainly about the reading and riding part but let me talk a bit about recreation because it's also related to the other two R's. Before I start, let me state that whatever observation and comparison that I will describe here is coming from my own limited experience so it's fair to say that they may or may not actually represent the Philippine and Australian society in general.
In terms of recreation, I noticed Aussies to be outdoor loving people. It's not surprising considering the the country's stunning natural landscapes and outdoor-friendly urban design. Most people spend their weekends and holidays in the beach, the mountains or the parks. They also love sports that they designate national or state holidays when there's a major sports event like the World Cup. On regular days, it's common to see people of various ages on public parks, libraries, museums.
Blue Mountain National Park
Yarra River in Warburton
Why do I envy this? The Philippines is also blessed with natural beauty and Filipinos do flock various nature destinations, but most of the time it requires long travel and spending a hefty amount for an ordinary Filipino. In cities, most people would go to the mall for recreation. I remember a lecture by Prof. Ambeth Ocampo where he presented the statistics of museum attendance, around 100,000 visitors in a year, in contrast this number is what an SM mall get on a bad day. There is a scarcity of public parks, green spaces, libraries and museums for people to enjoy for free. Most spaces in urban areas have been dedicated to malls and other commercial establishments. I feel really sad about this because if we can get more Filipinos to spend more time around nature, it would reinforce a deep appreciation for nature and a strong push to care for and protect the environment. If we can get more kids to spend more time at the library, museums or cultural arts centers, it would enrich their appreciation for learning and cultural heritage, as well as concern for so many important social issues. When I think about the current state of education in the Philippines, it makes me feel hopeless.
Riding the bike is taken more as a recreation than a mode of transportation by most Australians, judging by the number of commuter cyclists on the road. But the government has provided sufficient infrastructure to make cycling convenient and safe for everyone. They require cyclists to wear a helmet. If you are a fast rider, you can ride on the dedicated bike lane on the main road, but if you are a slow rider, you may use the elevated shared walk and bike path on the side of the road. There are also bike parking on every establishment so it was really easy to move around with my bike. I was able to cycle both in Victoria and New South Wales and had a really deep appreciation of their cycling infrastructure as well as public transportation. What I love most about riding there is that they allow bikes to be on trains without folding, yes you can take a full size bike, even e-bikes inside the trains. This makes bimodal commuting very convenient. When my sister and brother-in-law have work, I am left on my own to explore the place. During these times, I would go to the parks, museums, libraries, botanic gardens, the beach. The best part of it was they're all for free so I didn't have to spend except for the train fare, which was minimal, or if I decide to hang out at a cafe. Most of the time I would just bring my own packed lunch to avoid spending.
Inside the train with my bike, my stop is up next
Before I left for Australia, I had my proposal defense and there were some comments and suggestions from the panel that required me to revise my manuscript so I spent most of my time in Australia in libraries working on my thesis manuscript and reading stuff that caught my interest. During those times, I realized just how fun it would be to study in a place where there is no shortage of learning resources. First of all, there are state libraries, which are huge that aside from the extensive book collection, there were also ongoing exhibit in different galleries. Then there are community libraries within the city, in my sister's residence, there were four community libraries. Then there are street libraries, which I also love because they have no rules - you can borrow, take, donate or share a book. One time when my sisters and I went to Geelong, I took a book from a street library in Hampton, read it during a long train ride, and when I found it uninteresting, I just put it in the street library in Geelong. See that's another good thing about bimodal commuting, I can choose to spend my time on the train resting or reading something, depending on my mood.
Street Library in Sandringham, VIC
Street Library in Geelong Train Station
My favorite community library would have to be the Beaumaris library in Bayside council. Aside from the books, they also have a library of things which allows members to borrow tools for cleaning, cooking, repairing or art crafts. I think every community should have a library of things so we won't have to buy tools that we rarely use anyway.
Beaumaris Library of Things
I've only visited two state libraries during my stay, the Victoria State Library and the New South Wales State Library. I cannot decide which one I like better because they both gave me a very enriching experience. They are both historic gems that are not just places for books but also a living, breathing space where architecture, knowledge, and inspiration come together. In Victoria State lib. the stunning La Trobe Reading Room has a magnificent octagonal dome, surrounded by rows of wooden desks and high shelves, with natural light coming through the glass ceiling, casting a soft glow on readers and students.
There was an ongoing protest when I visited the Victoria State Library
La Trobe Reading Room
In NSW State lib. I love the mix of old-world charm and contemporary design of the Mitchell Library Reading Room with its warm wooden interiors, high ceilings, heritage lamps and stained glass windows that looked like something from a period film. I also liked going into the Shakespeare Room, housing over 5000 works of Shakespeare (translated in different languages), it felt like I walked straight into an old English castle, with dark wooden panels, carved details, and stained-glass windows and ceiling full of details that glowed with stories I didn’t fully understand but wanted to know about.
State Library of New South Wales
Mitchell Library Reading Room
Both libraries gave a peaceful ambience but alive, filled with people poring over books, notepads and laptops, lost in their own world of curiosity and learning. I also enjoyed the exhibitions, from the old maps, cuneiform tablets, journals of early explorers, to rare photographs and artworks, these libraries didn’t just house information they told stories through the gallery spaces.
15th century World Map (pre-colonial PH)
An exhibit about misinformation featured how Shell had been deceiving humanity for so long
Shell often associated itself with nature to cover up its destructive practices
I can't stress enough how much I love the strong and vibrant the reading culture is in Australia as manifested in the presence of libraries, bookstores, book talks and literary festivals. I think it's one of the signs that a country is progressive. They are also very generous in lending books. In North Melbourne library, there was a comic book that I wanted to take home so I can finish reading it but I have no library card, so on a whim, I asked if I can get a membership even though I'm just a temporary visitor, and what do you know, they accepted, but I can only check out 2 books at a time (a regular member can borrow a maximum of 50 books for 3 weeks!), and I said, that's fine, I'm only borrowing one book. So now I have a library card in Melbourne city 😁
Library Membership in Melbourne is free even for temporary visitor
What an absolute joy it was to be hopping from street libraries to state libraries by bicycle. There was also a literary fest event that I attended with my bicycle, but that's for another post. Now that I think about it, when you go to the library by bicycle, you prepare yourself for a mental exercise with a physical exercise. Now that's the best kind of exercise.
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