My local library branch is closed for a year for renovations. It’s a temporary situation, but losing that access has me thinking about all the wonderful time I’ve spent in libraries over the years.
I grew up in a town with a Carnegie library. It was a red
brick building built in 1904, with a Civil War-era cannon out front. That
library played a crucial role in making me the avid reader I remain. I remember
the summer reading programs and the gradual graduation from the children’s room
in the basement to the adult shelves upstairs. I still know my library card
number: 206F.
I passed my love of libraries on to my kids. First in Boston
and then in Virginia, our local libraries played a prominent role in their
growing up. They proudly signed up for their first library cards, participated
in their own summer reading programs, and loaded up at the annual book sales.
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I was a reader long before I was a writer, and I owe much of
that identity to the libraries that shaped me. They have changed over time, in
more ways than one. My hometown library quadrupled in size after I left, and the
NYPL finally retired its pneumatic system in favor of an all-electronic one about
ten years ago. I know my local branch will be a bit different when it reopens
next summer, but it will always be a home for me.
How important are libraries in your own life?
I remember during the summer our library had a traveling van that brought books to the neighborhood--always a highlight of the week. I co-founded a Friends of the Library nonprofit for our local library and have served as its treasurer since its inception. Books have always been important to me and libraries are where they keep a lot of them!
ReplyDeleteI love libraries! I got my first card at 4, and I thought it was so great that they would let me take books home to read.
ReplyDeleteA bit of a rocky start (when I was a kid, our children's librarian was pretty fussy about what she'd stock, and was not exactly welcoming) but over the years I've had great interactions with all kinds of libraries and librarians.
ReplyDeleteThe Cincinnati-Hamilton County library system is terrific: a free hold system with best-sellers on permanent rotation through the forty-one libraries, a downtown branch geneology section, and in conjunction with local organizations, summer lunch and supper served to kids at half the branches, with after-school meals available during the academic year.
ReplyDeleteLibraries have always been an integral part of my life. When I was very young my mother brought my brother and me to the library to get cards .
ReplyDeleteIn elementary school, I think I must have read most of the books in the school library and the librarian there had me help with displays and gave me books to review for her to purchase.
I worked in my college library.
For many years I have worked in my local library and have seen how important it is to the people who use it.
In addition to books we offer a wide variety of other material and programs. If we don’t own something we can find another library that does.
There are ESL programs and story telling hours for children not only in English, but also in other languages.
Another popular option in many libraries are the ‘Library of Things where patrons can borrow a variety of useful objects. There are sewing machines, telescopes, musical instruments, gardening and other tools available to check out. There are also jigsaw puzzles, board and outdoor games patrons can borrow.
I have spoken to many people who have just moved to the area in the last week and the library was one of their first stops. Many of them have just arrived from other countries. Some are students, visiting professors or those here for other temporary positions. Some have moved to this country permanently. They all want to improve their English proficiency although most of them already speak quite well.
There are also opportunities for those who are unable to go to the library to have volunteers bring them material to read or listen to.