Atmen beim Lesen

From 1850 onwards, a radical transformation of libraries takes place worldwide. They remain archives of literature but are now funded regularly, becoming places that have the latest books on the shelves and communicate the most current knowledge. Reading becomes a comprehensive engagement with one's own world in modern industrial societies, and spending time in the library becomes an act of self-assurance. A significant issue in the 19th century is pollution; the journey to the library leads through dirt and smog. Karl Marx complains about the city fog that forces the reading room to close prematurely. Ventilation systems and air circulation devices are designed and implemented to support breathing while reading. The reading room becomes a climate oasis. Hygiene represents the new understanding of poor air quality and what it carries: dust, soot, germs, and bacteria. Chairs and institutes dedicate themselves to this knowledge, and magazines disseminate it around the world. The interest is great, and those who want to be informed go to the library. There, the everyday experiences of the modern urban dweller are examined critically. In the reading rooms, hygienic discussions converge; they are present there like nowhere else. In the reading rooms, a future world is envisioned where we do not die so quickly.