As I climb the steps, I’m thinking about what’s waiting for
me. I open the door, feel the whoosh of cool air and step in. All the
possibilities stretch out before me, lined up neatly on their shelves, inviting
a look. Middle grade, YA, picture books, novels, cookbooks, new releases, raves
& faves. I just love visiting the library!
I have fond memories of hanging out in the basement-like
children’s section of the Waverly Resource Library in Thunder Bay, skimming for
the next Black Stallion adventure. Browsing
the shelves with my firstborn at the Westmount branch in London, Ontario, finding
out we loved Kevin Henkes’ Owen, Chrysanthemum and Lilly characters. Or all the
storytimes and armloads of books (to feed my second daughter's obsession with Thomas the Tank
Engine) we took home from the Lakeview and Mississauga Valley branches
in Mississauga. I wonder how many library books I’ve borrowed in my life time? I usually bring home more than 5, sometimes as many as 15.
Even now, I visit the library at least once a
week. I’m always thrilled when I see one of my students (or former students)
reading in the library, because sometimes I wonder what will happen to physical
libraries with more and more books available on-line.
Actually, downloading online books is one of the ways I use
my public library. It’s pretty convenient to read a book on my iPad, into the
late hours of the night, since I don’t have to keep a lamp on to disturb my
husband.
But I also love physical books. They’re perfect for those
moments when I have to wait for someone or to take out on the patio or deck and
enjoy with a glass of lemonade. So I use my library to look up books (often recommended
by other bloggers) and have them sent to my local branch for pick up. If I can’t
find a book, I’ve also been known to contact the library to recommend it for
purchase. And I always browse the “new titles” shelf, where I usually find
another book or two that looks interesting to pop into my bag.
Anyway, if you’re bored with the kids this summer and it’s
raining (it’s been doing a lot of that in my part of the world), think about
checking out your local library. As teenagers, my own kids seem to think that
going to the library is about as much fun as seeing the dentist, but I’m hoping
that’s a phase they grow out of, and that one day they’ll be able to appreciate
the library at least a little. And maybe they’ll even find one of my
books there.
Do you use your local library? How do you use it? What do
you think will happen to libraries in the future?
Do I use my local library? I feel like I live there. Walking in feels like home. I check out books and movies. And then, when I'm at home and can't justify the drive into town, I use their online library for my Kindle.
ReplyDeleteI think libraries will stick around in the future. As long as people love stories and information {and this is the information age!}, libraries will have a purpose...even if it looks different than we know now.