To me, the library has always been a special place to visit. In grade school, every teacher I’ve known would bring me, along with the rest of my friends, into the magical world of books where I would lose myself for hours at a time. While the rest of my class enjoyed recess outside, I took to the books, drowning my imagination in their stories.
For Freedom Friday, allow me a few minutes of your time to tell you what I love about the library and why I think everyone should take the time to enjoy this great resource of knowledge and wonder.
As a teen, I had my first job working at the city library. They hired me as a page. I never really knew what the title meant, but it wasn’t until I got older that someone told me a page is a gofer. Go for the books. Go for the librarian. Well, you get the picture. I spent most of my time putting books away. I wouldn’t trade the experience for anything.
Late one fall evening, as I sat in my usual spot near the window sorting my books, the rain began. I stopped my sorting and just sat there watching. The traffic lights made a reflection on the street as they changed from green to yellow to red. People scattered to the nearest store searching for shelter. I sat on the ledge of a carpeted bay window. I remember how peaceful it was to look at the water coming down in the middle of the street.
When my wife and I had our first child, it was an incredible period. All of a sudden, we were parents, but at the same time, we became kids again. We filled our home with toys, books and baby clothes. We’d take family trips to the zoo, the movies and our nearest park. What I remember the most though, is the trips to the library. I don’t know who enjoyed it more, my child or me.
The biggest kick I got from the experience was watching my child’s face as it lit up with joy after having found the most perfect book. It brought me back to when I first graced the aisles of my school library to discover the book Where the Wild Things Are.
Now that my kids are older, I visit the library on occasion. I still get that wonderful feeling in the pit of my stomach knowing it’s an extended home to me. My interests may have changed, but I’m ever willing to explore the catacombs where fantasy and reality meet.
The library is my refuge. It’s where I belong.
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Have you been to your local library recently? What do you like about it?
I always loved the library as a kid. It started my love with books and a lot of book series. Unfortunately, in the UK at least, the library is losing its attraction and has stopped being the focal point it used to be. Real shame.
I go to the library every week day, but that’s because I work there 🙂 It’s great to hear the way that libraries have such a positive influence.
Aren’t libraries great places to go, Andrea?
They are, they’re the community hubs of today – we have customers using them for traditional purposes such as borrowing books, but also to sit all day with their laptop and coffee studying or running a business, hiring rooms for all kinds of things, parents and babies singing nursery rhymes and so much more 🙂
Right, Andrea! I love that about the library. In our town, it takes center stage for everything you mentioned and more. During our Canada Day celebrations, it becomes a hub for people relaxing from the Main Street walk and a destination for families wanting to hear the annual Canada Day choir singing up a storm! But you know what? I love it during winter as well because no matter how cold it is, it’s always a welcoming place for those wanting to get out of the cold!
That’s right, for some elderly and homeless people it’s a lifeline.
I visit my nearest library on Tuesdays & Thursdays for writing workshops. On off days, I visit the next nearest to write in their secluded quiet study room.
I used to spend tons of time in the library as a young child growing up. In elementary school, I used to go to ask to go to the bathroom but stop at the library on the way just to talk to the librarian. I used to spend a lot of time both in the school library in high school and even the village library. It had such great summer programs too. In college, I did work study in the library of the two colleges I attended. I haven’t been to a library in a couple years though. One of the most impressive libraries I have ever been in is St. Bonaventure University. It is huge. Massive. Quiet. Old. Mind you, the colleges I went to were just community colleges, so their libraries paled in comparison to St. Bonaventure’s library. I love to read, though not as nearly as much as I used to.
As strange as this may sound, our local library offers 2 of my favorite things. Books – that’s not so strange – and peacocks. Now, if they only served wine…
Great post! I share your longtime love of the library. So many books, so little time :).
Beautiful vanish point. I love analog book 🙂
The library is currently one of the absolute favorite places for both my kids. I don’t think bookworm begins to describe them.
Reblogged this on Geeking Out about It and commented:
As a Librarian,
Thank you for the shout out!
Thanks for the reblog!
Passing this along. My wife’s a librarian and would enjoy reading it.
Spent a lot of time at the library reading, writing, and researching. Bringing the kid there today and seeing what he picks up. He’s reminding of the stage where a child cycles through the same 2-3 books. Drives the reading parents nuts though, but he’s beginning to memorize them. So I can see the use in it since he’s trying to read on his own.
Both my kids had phases like that. There was nothing left of one book. It had turned to nothing more than a tattered assemblage of paper.
Thankfully, he’s very gentle with his books. He tried to go wild on one when he was younger and got a paper cut. Never did it again.
To my step – sister, & to me ( sort of / semi – sort of / kind of 🙂 ), a used book store is just like a chapel. A used – book warehouse can pretty much be a cathedral.
Love books, too! Nothing quite replaces the smell of the inside of a new book.
The word “Sanctuary” comes to mind. 🙂
For me is was a used book store. Libraries used lights that gave me headaches if I was there too long. I would spend hours browsing a local bookstore where books were often less than a dollar. Fond memories about books!
Reblogged this on rennydiokno.com.
Thanks very much for the reblog!
Reblogged this on General Secretary.