SUNY Purchase ︎(DES3800)Design for Web & Screens
Reading:
Reading:
The Library of Babel
︎PDF of The Library of Babel︎
︎A non-PDF version︎
(if you like a cool page-flippy thing)︎PDF, Spanish language version︎
Who is Borges?
Borges is a writer. An Argentine writer. He’s known for (mostly short) stories like this that are about places or things that are kind of infinite; usually fantastic but no dragons or spaceships.An etching of the Library of Babel, from a series of other prints by Erik Desmazières
Why this story?
Borges has similar like Garden of Forking Paths. I think one of the qualities in his stories is that they can be deceptively boring, but this one is pretty clear. Also it’s about letters and books, so you know...graphic design. More directly, this, and the first website linked below are pretty closely related to the Observational Coding Project.Further Reading/Viewing & Context
- libraryofbabel.info︎ A site that simulates what Borges describes in the story.
- If you like this and prefer physical copies, I own Labyrinths and can lend it to you, but I need to fish it out of storage, so gimme a heads up.
- Someone reading Library of Babel if that’s helpful︎
- The Library of Babel Wikipedia page︎
- The Tower of Babel Wikipedia page︎In case you weren’t indoctrinated into Christianity ︎
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