“I like the peace of the library.” – Lourdes’ story

We’re continuing our series of blog posts featuring stories from some of our regular visitors to State Library of Queensland. Meet Lourdes:

Lourdes - State Library member

"My name is Lourdes and, I was born in Peru. I came to Australia ten years ago and I am a maths teacher and also a nanny.

I went to the Central Queensland University in Rockhampton for a year and a half to finish my degree in education, and because I had very good grades, I could apply to go to Sweden for a student exchange program. There I studied Political Science for 6 months.

Sweden is very beautiful and the standard of living is number one. You never feel the cold because houses have central heating system, and as soon as I arrived they gave me a jacket and boots for free!

Back in Australia I worked in Education Queensland for five years and now I teach mathematics at St James College.

The first time I came to the library was five years ago and I came for doing my work: marking assignments, preparing lesson plans and other things, all work related. I used to go to other libraries but they are very noisy and you can’t concentrate. So I asked the staff and they told me if you want to go to a quiet library you have to go to State Library.

Now I come three times a week and still do the same. I use the computers, some textbooks, and I’m learning German now, so I’m reading German books. I like languages. So now I speak Spanish, English, French, and I was studying Italian but German is more difficult so I had to put Italian on hold. Today I listened to German news and my goal is to at least understand it. I love to study languages because it’s how you break the barrier! Languages are like walls and when you learn them you break that barrier.

I think State Library is very beautiful. It has open spaces, the river view, it’s very clean. I like the peace of the library. If I want absolute quiet I go to level 4, which is my favourite level. Staff are really nice and welcoming and they are very helpful: they teach you things! I think the Library should open at 9am and I’d like it if the meeting rooms had a more strict policy about not showing up or late comers!

I’m very happy to know that there is a place where I can come and use my time wisely; it changed my life in a way that I live happier knowing that there’s a place where I can find everything I need. Without a library I wouldn’t know what to do or where to go. I’d be lost!"

As told to State Library staff member

Fed Pani

Visitor and Information Services