This is today's question: (and yes, I do realize it's Friday)How often do you visit a library? Do you go to borrow books? Do research? Check out the multi-media center? Hang out with the friendly and knowledgeable staff? Are you there out of love or out of need?
Well, how often totally depends on the week and how much reading I've gotten done. But usually I check out a big stack of books and then don't return until the day they're due. I always have the idea in mind that "I'll totally finish these before they're due this time!", but inevitably I'm down to the wire getting them returned. In fact, I'm rather thankful that the library closest to me has a drive-up return box! (You know, for those late night returns after the library is closed. Come on. Surely you've done this at least once? Right? Or is it only me? :)
I only go to borrow books. By the time I've looked down all the aisles I want, I've usually been in there an hour or more and am ready to go home.
So I am obviously there completely out of love! Who doesn't love the library? If you're a reader I mean? You get to read as many books as you want for free! I don't know whose idea it was to invent libraries but I sure wish I could tell them how awesome I think they are! :D
I live in a bigger city, so I have two libraries pretty close by. Three actually! The one just down the street is amazing, but it has really odd hours. As in only open one evening a week and only for an hour. It is open on Saturday's for forty-five minutes in the afternoon. It's open during the day also, but as I work I can't go then, so I don't pay attention to those hours.
As for the staff at these libraries, I don't really know them. There's just too many people, it doesn't make for good opportunities to chat.
But when I was growing up, I'd go to the library once a week. (Once I could drive myself I mean. Before that, mom didn't take me every week, but pretty close to it. She likes to read too.) And yes, you read that right. Once a week. I had no social life evidently and spent every available moment either reading or going to get more books to read. My bedroom floor was always covered with library books.
And then there was Miss Joyce. She ran the children's story hour and was an amazing woman. She actually just passed away a couple years ago and I was so sad to hear it. (She was quite young.) The local paper did an article about her and I found out she had only started at the library not too long before I was born. So that's why all my memories of the library always feature her. She was always there and always had a moment to say hi to any children desiring to talk to her. That library will never be the same without her.
Libraries and librarians are important! So here's to libraries everywhere and the wonderful people who keep them running. Whether a county library or a private library, I hope they continue for years and years to come. And keep giving bookish children (like me) a comforting place of refuge! :)
Do you use your library? If so, how often do you go? And were there any special librarians who made your visits exceptional like Miss Joyce did for me?
We take our kids to the public library every Saturday morning. The only period in my life when I didn't go to a library once a week was when I was in college -- then I was there probably once a day, if not more.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, now we borrow books, sometimes a movie or CD, and I also love buying used books to support the library. Couldn't do without libraries!!!
Amen and amen! Libraries truly do so much for their communities. And they are such comforting places to sit, aren't they? :)
DeleteI like to buy their used books too, to help them out. Plus you can find some great stories for not very much money that way!
Librarians have patrons at a disadvantage...we're constantly seeing their names, and so learn them, but they never get introduced to us. All of the librarians knew my name for YEARS before I started working there, and I knew virtually none of theirs.
ReplyDeleteYes, they do have that advantage, don't they? I can usually remember their faces pretty well, but not names. Unless we've chatted a lot.
DeleteI get all my DVDs from the library. I also download e-books. I love my library!
ReplyDeleteI keep seeing notices about borrowing ebooks at my library, but so far they haven't completely implemented it yet. I'm hoping they do soon, I love ebooks. :)
DeleteI love the library. I usually go once a week. Our library is pretty much all self serve. You place holds on things, and when it comes in you find it on the hold shelve yourself, and check it out yourself. They have kinda turned into Netflix. They have also raised the limit to 50 items of any kind. I have never needed that many items, and am amazed when I see people checking out their limit in CDs and DVDs.
ReplyDeleteI did like it when I was a little kid and they had lots of librarians working in there. It's amazing how things have changed over the years, but I don't know if its really for the better.
Kimberly
People will really check out 50 DVDs? Where on earth do they have the time to watch that many? Wow.
DeleteI'm not sure of the limit at my library. Whatever it is, I've obviously never exceeded it. Although I do usually come out with an armful! :D
So, self serve huh? I suppose it would work, but I'm kind of like you. I think I'd miss the librarian to talk to and ask questions. Librarians are awesome!
Thanks for commenting! :)