A Campus Visit Turned Time Capsule

On a recent trip, we made a stop to see a family friend at the University of Virginia. The tour, of course, included the iconic Rotunda. Although we viewed it from a distance, we had never entered the historic structure until now. A hush fell over everyone as we peeked at the boardrooms and cozy study spaces.

Libraries Reimagined: From Research Havens to Sleek Study Hubs

As we continued the tour, we visited the popular study spots, the libraries. No longer cluttered with stacks of books to check out, the books were instead displayed behind locked, ornate cabinets. As I passed the wooden card catalogs, I questioned why they were still there. However, when I tried to open one, I realized that it was for display purposes only. Our freshman tour guide said, “Yeah, what are those for anyway?”

As the Greatest Generation member, my mom was technologically advanced, especially for her age. She was a wiz with spreadsheets. She created manual spreadsheets before technology caught up to her. She eagerly took to social media, even posting her version of a selfie to share with family and friends. Computer, Smart Phone, IPad, yep, she used them all. But she gladly leaned on her children and grandchildren for technology questions.