Have You Hugged Your Library Lately?

Libraries. That was my choice of topics, yet I don’t know where to stop or start.
I was always fascinated with books. I have no idea how many times I had my mother read “The Tawny, Scrawny Lion”,( among others), over and over. I guess she started taking me to the bookmobile when I was about three to save her sanity.

I devoured the books in the library of my elementary school in the next state. I moved into yet another town and found that the city library was teeming with everything that interested me, which was considerable. I remember that I read a great deal of Russian literature, all sorts of poetry and books on archaeology; (go figure). When I was even older, many libraries were accessible by car within short distances, as they were when I lived halfway across the country when my sons were young. That state had all of its libraries in one, combined system and I frequented the library at a local, nationally known private college. The Internet came in and I found that I could call up books that I had wanted to read for many years, although I sometimes could only read them in the library, they were so rare. And I could borrow videos! Long-lamented, half-seen movies and documentaries could be found or ordered in. I was in Heaven.

When I moved to where we now live, I was heartbroken at the lack of variety or availability at the local library. Fortunately, the town grew quickly and we now have a very nice library, remade in the old hospital building and staffed with more people of varied backgrounds. I still am at their mercy to search and order in a book that they do not have and it can drive a person crazy that they have one or a few books in a series, often with gaping holes in the middle. I will still borrow movies,(now DVD’s) , and an occasional series. I love trying out the foreign films that one patron donates. It’s hit and miss in enjoyability, but when we hit a good one…OH!

I am not from around here,(as the Locals keep reminding me), but there is an extensive Genealogy Department in our local library; many people use it seriously. There is a large collection of every genre available and the Adult Summer Reading Program Challenge this year had us delve into all of them.I was surprised that I could enjoy graphic novels…but not many of them!

I am wholly grateful that I have Internet access at home, but I used to use the computer banks at the library, as do many others; it is a blessing. One mixed blessing is the local branch’s on-going book sale. I find that I need to at least look at what is available.(Want to wager as to the percentage of times I leave those racks empty handed?)

I should have been a librarian. I helped in the one at a school where my husband taught and I spent many hours the local school here that my grandchildren have attended. I can’t tell you how many of the books there I have read. I no longer spend much time in the school libraries now, but I help with the bookfairs…and never walk out empty handed there, either. And the school library also sells discarded books!

You know, I should just admit it; I should just move into a public library…never mind. If you saw my house, you’d think you were in one anyway. My house has far too many books for anyone to believe it is from the efforts of one couple, and a few of book-collecting grandchildren. (Apparently, book-hoarding gene is not a recessive one.) Yet, we borrow from the library. I am there so often, some think I work there. So I say to those people, “You must be there as often, since you see me so much.”
I guess I am not the only persistent patron, a library lover, if you will.

Have you hugged your library lately?

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