The Sampler Section

For my photo essay I decided to focus on a place. In the readings, I really liked the photos of students’ living spaces, because you learned a lot about them by what they had on their desks and walls, etc. So, I tried to think of a place that said something about me, and decided to photograph the Sampler Section of the library.

Yes, I like to read, but that’s not the only reason why I wanted to document this special room in the library. I wanted to document it because it’s my favorite place on campus. It’s the one place I can go to sit in a comfy chair, relax for a minute, and have a little peace and quiet in the middle of a busy school day. It’s not even out of my way because it’s right on the main floor of the library. Plus, it’s fun to be surrounded by stories, even if I will never have time to read them all. Just being near them makes me want to be a better writer and think more creatively. I have discovered some of my favorite stories by just wandering around glancing over the shelves. The science fiction and fantasy shelves are my favorite. I always find something interesting there.

I think this experience helped me see the value of this little cozy room. It made me grateful that someone somewhere said, “Hey, let’s make a room full of popular novels,” and that I found it on practically my first day at BYU. It also made me think about the other people that hang out in there, because I’m not the only one who finds a haven among the books. There’s definitely a time to go socialize and be in the middle of the hustle and bustle of campus, but I believe there’s also a time to escape inwardly and de-stress a little. That’s why I love the Sampler Section.