America is not an old country.  Lots of Europeans love to say that, but it is kind of true.  America is relatively new, but it does its best to try and present itself with some kind of oldness.  Sometimes this succeeds, sometimes this fails.  I’d say that the way it presents itself in the US Library of Congress is sort of a failure.  Anyone who has ever been to the great hall, in all of its Fabrege egg glory can attest to that.  In the Library of Congress you get that emotional rush of it being so colorful and so ornate and then it just kind of goes away.

The New York Public library is quite lovely, but unfortunately, you cannot photograph it on the inside. Boston’s Public library really does strike the balance well.  I looks old, but it has its own style as well.  Notice I also olded these photographs:

Notice there are no arches here.  There were arches, I did photograph them, but I’m kind of bored with them.