My footsteps echoed as I made my way across the meticulously shined marble floor. I was trying to remember what the little blurb I read said. I was anxious. I’m not sure if travel writers are supposed to be social, but I am not social. People make me nervous and asking strangers questions, and not knowing how they will react, makes me very nervous. My idea was that I was embarking on something secret and forbidding, so I was treading very carefully.
“Excuse me,” I said to the guard, barley above a whisper. “Could you tell me how to get to the rare book department?”
“Sure,” he blurted, proceeding to give the instructions in a rather loud and boisterous tone. I guess it’s not such a secret after all.
Taking the elevator, I arrived on a large balcony overlooking the lobby. To my left was a set of glass doors and a button with a sign that warned that once pressed it would take someone almost 5 minutes to answer. In due time I was greeted by a young lady who could have been the cover model for Librarian Monthly. In her sweater set, wool skirt, and glasses with the thick black frames, it almost seemed as though she was dressing purposely for the part. She introduced herself as Laura or Laurel, I never did quite get it. Laura/Laurel assured me that I was not late for the daily tour, which she would lead momentarily. While politely waiting I greedily inhaled, letting the smell of old books fill my lungs.
The tour began a few minutes after 11am and I must admit I wasn’t expecting too much since the price was free. Our little group was first led to a case where Laura/Laurel lovingly presented us with cuneiform tablets, sheets of papyrus, and other examples of how writing materials have evolved over time. We then jumped from case to case as our wool-skirted guide explained various collections and every so often displayed for us some bibliophilic artifact. She displayed a wonderful deal of enthusiasm, as she gracefully whisked each piece the way a kindergarten teacher does, making certain that each student has a chance to see the pictures associated with the story being read. A sense of admiration filled me as I thought that she really worked hard making it interesting despite the fact that she has probably guided this tour more than a hundred times.
The grand finale of the tour was well worth the entire venture. Slowly, Laura/Laurel unlocked and opened a set of double doors, making it excitingly dramatic. Inside was the library of a Mr. William M. Elkins. In his lifetime, Mr. Elkins had amassed a rather impressive collection of rare literature. Upon his death he willed his entire library to the Free Library of Philadelphia. Every inch of the library was donated—books, rugs, wall, and everything in between. A photographer even captured photos of the views outside his windows. Everything was then painstakingly reassembled in the rare book department of the library. It was fascinating and full of that oh-so-good old book smell. We were allowed to mill around for quite some time and our guide stated that if there were any books we wished to examine more closely she would gladly retrieve them from the shelves.
After a bit of browsing in the Elkins library, the doors were locked and we were told we could spend as much time as we wanted wandering around. I really enjoyed viewing the journal of Captain John Smith and the several cases that contained old school books. I examined the books hard, feeling sure that Laura Ingalls must have personally held at least one of them. I was also struck with a sense of overindulgence when I thought about how at one point in time books were really something rare and special. Having a book was almost like having a precious jewel and you read them over and over. I do love my books and the trip gave me a sense of gratitude that I could just go right now to the nearest Barnes and Noble and purchase a whole library of books right on the spot if I wanted to.
If you stood in line at midnight to get the last Harry Potter book, have a child or pet purposely named after a literary character, or still see the highlight of your life as playing Anne of Green Gables in your high school play, then the Free Library of Philadelphia’s rare book department is not to be missed. It’s a great way to spend a morning or afternoon. Just be sure to give yourself enough time to wander, as they close at 5pm. The tour starts at 11am every Monday through Friday, but you are free to arrive whenever you like just to look around and peer into the glass bookcases. I do believe that anyone whose quote is “Why read the book when you can see the movie?” would probably be bored, restless, and take the old book smell completely for granted. It’s not really a place for children either as there isn’t much to grab their attention. For me or anyone else with an intense love for books, it is one of Philadelphia’s best-kept secrets that really turned out to be not that secretive at all.