![]() There's no definitive statistic on the number of Seuss books sold, but estimates run well over 600 million. In all, he wrote more than 60 books under four pen names, along with television specials, feature films, political cartoons and hundreds of advertisements. Working with just 236 words, Geisel produced one of the world's most-loved, best-selling primers. It’s the only one of its kind.Somewhere right now, a child is learning to read, thanks to a copy of "The Cat in the Hat." Theodor Seuss Geisel wrote the book in response to a national debate about literacy, namely, how to hold children's interest when competing with television. If you ever find yourself in San Diego, make sure to visit this spaceship of a library. Librarians and students at UC San Diego clearly love their quirky library, and they will be even happier for it to get a face lift: thanks to a recent $3 million donation from Audrey Geisel, the library will undergo a renovation for better technology and updated décor. Seuss Collection (approximately 8,500 items) and the general academic and research collections, the Geisel Library apparently holds a collection of toy pianos which they feature every September in honor of composer John Cage. Above the main doors are emblazoned the words READ – WRITE – THINK – DREAM. Geisel tells a story of how she and her husband had once been walking the campus, and Ted was instantly taken with the library’s unique design, saying, “Wow! If I were an architect, that’s the library that I would build.”Īnd the Geisel Library embraces the creative and whimsical nature of its design. She also donated a substantial sum to the library four years later, and it was renamed the Geisel Library in 1995. Seuss), donated her husband’s papers, manuscripts, and drawings to be kept at the UC San Diego library. In the 1990s, Audrey Geisel, wife of children’s author Theodor Geisel (better known as Dr. The glass used for the upper floor windows is specially treated to reflect the sky around it, allowing “the vast expanses of glass–38,000 square feet in all–to dematerialize into the sky,” as one architectural writer* put it.Īs fascinating as the building is, the Geisel Library stands out for another reason: its recently acquired name. According to the original plans, the giant buttresses which support the upper levels were supposed to be made of steel, but cost limitations forced Pereira to use concrete instead. Oddly, there is no third floor to the Geisel Library (though it might very well be the outside forum space). After an expansion in 1992, a majority of the shelving was moved to new subterranean wings. Floors 4 through 8 are primarily study space and some shelving. ![]() The library’s first two floors are accessed through the central shaft which also contains the elevators and stairs to the upper floors. Rumors abound regarding the library’s other media cameos. It’s been featured in film and television, most notably in the third part of The Attack of the Killer Tomatoes film series and the opening credits sequence of the 1980s TV show Simon & Simon. ![]() Students call it “ the spaceship.” Indeed, it’s easy to see the library building as a glassy flying saucer nestled into its concrete docking bay. It has been hailed as an ingenious blend of brutalist architecture (lots of concrete, no decoration) and futurist style. The Geisel Library at the University of California, San Diego falls in the latter category.Īrchitect William Pereira designed the library building (simply called the Central University Library for many years) for UC San Diego in the late 1960s. Sometimes the result was instantly regrettable at other times, it was intriguing and other-worldly. Libraries built during the economic boom of the mid-20th century, however, were often used as a playground for architectural experimentation, particularly on college and university campuses. Everyone loves a beautiful, old library with oak desks, cozy chairs, and tall windows. ![]()
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