The third spaces of the world

And why sharing access to free resources is inherently anti-capitalist

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Growing up in a small city where cultural events were non-existent, my only portal to discover the world's wonders were magazines and books. It wasn’t until I moved to Vancouver in 2021 as an adult that I learned about the concept of third spaces and started getting access to one of my favorite spaces in the city: the Vancouver Public Library. There are a total of 22 branches only in the Metro Vancouver area, all of them maintained and managed by the city. The central branch in Downtown has been labeled as one of the most iconic library buildings in the world and it’s indeed a very magical one that everyone can access for free.

Image: Travel Around The Galaxy

This gem is a 9-story building in Robson Street, built in the 90s and inspired by Italian Collisuems. The library has an incredible terrace with a killer view of downtown, lots of trees, and benches to enjoy a book and a cup of coffee. It provides the local communities with hundreds of books, magazines, movies, computers, desks to work or do homework, and AC in the hot summer days. Since getting my library card in 2021, I can truly say that my life has changed. I know, quite a dramatic statement, but let me elaborate.

The term ‘third space’ was brought to life by Ray Oldenburg, and refers to those places where we can spend time between our first place (home) and the second place (work). Last year I read How to Do Nothing (and read it again to refresh my memory for this issue!) by Jenny Odell and it was the first time I was properly introduced to the concept of third spaces. In her book, Jenny challenges our view of time and productivity and how our society praises busyness and outcomes at all costs. She writes about third spaces — ‘a public, non-commercial space demands nothing from you in order to enter, nor for you to stay; the most obvious difference between public space and other space is that you don’t have to buy anything, or pretend to want to buy something’.

In How to Do Nothing, Jenny also mentions Giorgio de Chirico’s words, a surrealist painter from the early twentieth century who was pretty much ahead of his time and wrote about how spaces for rest and contemplation could get to a point of extinction due to being ‘unproductive’ in the eyes of capitalism.

‘In the face of the increasingly materialist and pragmatic orientation of our age…it would not be eccentric in the future to contemplate a society in which those who live for the pleasures of the mind will no longer have the right to demand their place in the sun. The writer, the thinker, the dreamer, the poet, the metaphysician, the observer…he who tries to solve a riddle or to pass judgment will become an anachronistic figure of the heart like the ichthyosaur and the mammoth”

These spaces, which become harder to find as time goes by are areas where we can decompress, where we don’t have KPIs that measure our productivity, and where we can find a community. Think parks, public gardens, museums, community centers, public galleries, and of course, public libraries. Some argue that gyms, coffee shops, and bars are also third spaces.

I acknowledge that I am very privileged to live in a city with abundant access to free and safe places at this point in my life. From beautiful lush parks on every corner to libraries with thousands of free resources, it is sometimes unbelievable to me that I get to enjoy all this, and I will never take it for granted.

If you live in the US or Canada, here is a list of 10 free resources you can access with a library card:

1. Free access to audiobooks, e-books, magazines, newspapers, zines, and more via Libby. I read 22 books on Libby in 2022 when I first found out about it! Their selection is pretty wide and up-to-date.

2. Free access to films, shows, and shorts via Kanopy.

3. Access to more than 16,000 free courses on LinkedIn Learning. This is a big one since some specific courses can be pricy.

4. Access to new and archived New York Times content. (!!!)

5. Free music (an alternative to Spotify or Apple Music) via Naxos Music.

6. Access to creative online courses via CreativeBug.

7. Regular book sales where you can find gems for great prices!

8. Study room areas, quiet rooms, and fully equipped computer labs.

9. Free programs, classes, and workshops on topics like career development.

10. Cultural events like writers’ readings, book clubs, and more.

Public libraries are one of the most amazing places in the world and we have to protect them. If you have the privilege of living near a library or any other third space, honor it and contribute to its preservation.

The third spaces that make us

To wrap up this issue, I asked my community to send over pics of their favorite third spaces and received so many captures of spots like parks, beaches, forests, coffee shops, museums, and theaters around the world. I enjoyed gathering some of these images and giving them a little place to live in this corner of the internet.

My Substack friend

Zoë

sent me this picture she took from the Palace of Fine Arts in San Franciso, her favorite third space in the area. I thought it was a gorgeous and se place to spend the afternoon under the sun, reading a book and drinking kombucha.

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1. This desert — I haven’t stopped thinking about it since last week. Who thought a churro with maracuyá ice cream would taste so damn good?!

2. Billie Eilish's new album — Give it a listen when you can. I’ve been listening nonstop since it came out last week!

3. This Ssense wedding campaign — They have been releasing one great campaign after the other and this one in particular made me feel very emotional and giggly.

ssense

A post shared by @ssense

4. Trying different workouts — After running my half marathon, I’ve decided to give my knees a rest and try different low-impact workout classes. I am trying a stretching workout class this week and hopefully Lagree West next month.

5. Time off screen — I shared last week on Notes that I reached my lowest screen time in years and it definitely felt like a win. I am nowhere where I want to be but setting boundaries has helped a lot.

   
   If you made it this far, once again, I appreciate you and love you! It means the world that you are here. Talk to you in the next one!

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