An Out of Library Experience

Generally, writing a research paper involves hiding away in the library for several weeks while laboring over what seems like a small academic miracle. That is often a rewarding experience, but I just completed a research paper for my ancient Athenian democracy class, not while living in the stacks for a month, and gained a new perspective.

This paper was challenging, but enjoyable. The topic? One that I've been wanting to address for a while now: the impact of communication on ancient Athenian democracy. I chose to narrow my focus, examining how the interaction between orators and the masses kept the democracy on stable footing. So there was a good amount of time in the library, but it was an atypical experience.

CYA works with the American School of Classical Studies to ensure that three students per day can have access to the school's library, the Blegen. With more than one hundred students at CYA, time at the Blegen is very limited. When my day at the library finally arrived I was very excited, but a little nervous at the same time. I had heard a few horror stories about other CYAers' experiences at the library. My time at the Blegen was wonderful, though. The staff is very serious, but that is understandable since they have to protect the works in the non circulating library. No books can be checked out of the Blegen and its staff have to ensure that nothing leaves. Before being able to use the library I had to undergo an orientation during which I learned about the library's technological and print resources, protecting book bindings, and filling out a card to let people know I had temporarily taken a book off its shelf. Yes, this seemed daunting at first, but I admire the Blegen's system. I felt like a true academician while researching there.

Before I knew it, my time at the Blegen was over. I strolled back home, enjoying a bit of people watching in Kolonaki, one of the nicest Athenian neighborhoods. When I went to cross Vasilissis Sofias, a major street in Athens, I was a bit shocked at the fact that there were absolutely no cars anywhere to be seen. Then, in the middle of the street I looked right and saw a sea of people marching behind a banner! They were five feet away from me and I was the only person in their path. I quickly ran out of the street and paused on the side walk to watch them. It then dawned on me that it was November 17th, the anniversary of the Athens Polytechnic Uprising against the Junta. The anniversary is commemorated each year with marches and demonstrations that can sometimes turn violent. Now, everything made sense to me. I had been wondering why, on my walk to the Blegen, I had passed a group of ten police officers taping off roads at every corner. Those marching on the street began to chant and sing and that is when it hit me that I was living within my research paper topic! The march happening right in front of me was an example of communication in democracy. Unfortunately, the multiple groups of riot police walking right next to me clearly showed I was having a modern democratic experience, not an ancient one that I could add to my paper. Still, though, it was an incredible and pertinent experience, which made my paper into a living entity rather than words on a page achieved from living a month in the stacks.