I can't make up my mind...

What's wrong with this picture?


That's the Vancouver, Washington Public Library. It's in the mall. It's actually a store in the mall. Food Court (with Indian Food, incidentally), Macy's, Hot Topic, Lens Crafters, Sears, and so on...and then the library.

Is this wonderful or another sign of the decline of Western Civilization?

On the one hand, it's kind of cool. Parents can send their kids to the library while they shop, instead of the arcade. On the other hand...um...well, there's Barnes and Noble...and...well, maybe people will go to the library instead of the chain bookstore. So I guess that's good, sort of.

But there's still something that bugs me about it.

Shortly after taking this picture, I was approached by a mall security guard who told me he couldn't have me taking pictures in the mall. The battery on my camera died, or I would have taken a picture of him, too. And my pakoras were getting cold.