True, libraries are no longer the only place to find abundant information. In a world of internet surfing and online books and magazines, one would think that libraries have lost a bit of their importance. Not so!
My husband remembers the library as the place he was forced to go when writing an arduous grade school paper or report. This was in the days before the internet, when people knew their way around card catalogs and librarians' fingers were perpetually smudged with ink from stamping the cards they unsheathed from the book pockets housed neatly under the front cover of each and every book. No bar codes, no scanners. Just those lovely, lovely cards, the simplicity of which I often remember fondly.
My memories of the library, however, are a bit more magical than my husband's. I loved to write, and I adored books. My dad would take us to the library on Saturdays where we not only got to throw pennies in the fountain in the main lobby area, but also got to wander the tall stacks of books, the bins of records, and the boxes of children's magazines. There was no rhyme or reason to my hunting when I was little, and yes, I did judge books by their covers and was drawn to the fanciful and artistic ones. I'd curl up in a corner and get lost in ancient kingdoms and far-off lands as my brothers searched for more mundane reading material. Guides about knot-tying and building tree houses, I would imagine.
Ah, but back to the topic at hand – libraries circa 2012. Apart from the countless books just waiting to be browsed, libraries are home to so much more. While printed books may be the mainstay of public libraries, you'll also find computers, Wi-Fi, downloadable e-books and audio books, and depending on your library, access to other online programs and subscriptions, such as World Book or Encyclopedia Britannica. Also, an increasing number of audio and music CDs and DVDs are added every year to library shelves.
Public libraries also offer us a sense of community with classes, programs, and reading hours for children. Looking for a fabulous place to partake in some free computer classes? Check out your public library's schedule of classes and events. Searching for some handy seminars, or hoping for a fun puppet show that might delight the grandkids? Yep – try the library!
In addition to stopping by and enjoying everything your local library has to offer, consider donating to your public library. Whether it's a gift of time (reading, tutoring, cleaning, nurturing plants), or money (a donation of books, magazine subscriptions, or cash), an investment in your public library is an investment in your community.
My kids have grown up browsing the bins of picture books at our public library, which makes for a fun and easy Saturday. Of course, my work has taken us to libraries far and wide, and my kids are not above requesting we drive a bit further so they can play with marionettes at one library or listen to their favorite story hour reader at another.
As I place another book on a teetering stack – this one demonstrating the finer points of decorating whimsical cupcakes for children – my kids hurry to show me their choices. My daughter has a book with accompanying CD that teaches kids to speak Russian through the use of children's songs. Along with a few comic books, my son has a flap book all about the inner workings of pirate ships. Of course, THEY have to slide their choices under the barcode scanner to check them out, because that's half the fun, you see. A fleeting memory of cards and stamps flits through my nostalgic mind as I let them divide my books and scan them.
Indulge your curiosity and try your hand at a new adventure. Visit your local library and become reacquainted with those lovely, lovely books!
