Library Lover

I have fond memories of going to the public library as a child - marveling at all the books available and deciding just which one(s) would be checked out that time.  When I attended home daycare at Theresa's house (a wonderful, wonderful lady whom I still have much love and respect for), we would load up the little kids in a wagon and walk the few blocks down to the public library and check out books.  I can still remember the smell of the old library - one which evokes feelings of comfort and happiness.  The children's section was in the basement and it seemed like a huge magical room full of the best books ever written.  We knew where our favorites were of course and as many kids do, often checked out the same ones over and over again.  My very favorites were Betsy books by Gunilla Wolde (I just googled that because I had no idea who the author was).  I also remember the paper library card with a metal plate that was placed in a big machine, and when the book card was inserted, the loud noise it made as it stamped your library number onto the book card.  I always wished I could use that machine.

When our little public library moved to a new building it lost a little of it's magic for me, but eventually became a new place of comfort, with a smell all it's own.  The children's section was indeed bigger, but at that point I spent most of my time looking for tween books like The Babysitter's Club and Sweet Valley High, and then later many by Lurlene McDaniel and Caroline B. Cooney.  I also learned how to research at that library, spending time there with friends working on school projects.

In high school, I can't say I spent much time in the library.  I didn't read much for fun in high school - what a waste!

My college years in the library were spent studying.  I didn't do any pleasure reading in college either - too much academic reading I guess.  Many many hours were spent in the library studying - often in one of the study rooms on the highest floors for the fewest distractions, or on the computers typing and researching.  I'm pretty sure I took a few naps in those study rooms too - and visited the bathroom a lot as I tended to drink insane amounts of water while studying.  But again, many good memories of the library.

After Nick and I were married, we moved to the Chicago area as he had gotten a job there.  He worked full time and I did not, so I was very lonely in a new place where we didn't know anyone and the public library became my lifeline.  We didn't have internet at our apartment so I would go to the library at least 3-4 times a week and hang out there for hours at a time.  I would email and then look at book after book on whatever I could find.  I browsed through lots of non-fiction - parenting, baby names, home decorating, remodeling - much of what I hoped we would be doing in the next 5 years.  There were two libraries that I frequented - one downtown which was much smaller and busier, but I liked being in the downtown area to walk through shops and along the river walk greenway.  The other library was further away, but it was a large, beautiful, brand new library that was pretty impressive.  There were many comfy places I could find to hang out and forget how lonely I was.

When we moved back from Chicago, I went to our public library a few times, but after getting a full-time teaching job I found no time for pleasure reading anymore.  It wasn't until after Mackenzie was born when I realized I had neglected to use such a wonderful community amenity.  I took the year off of teaching when Kenzie was born and staying home all day with a newborn and a toddler can make you go crazy sometimes.  I began taking both kids to story time during the week and it was a much needed outing for us.  When I went back to work the afternoon story times obviously didn't work for us anymore, and we kind of stopped going to the library for a while.  Life was busy and it was one more thing we didn't have time for.

Now that I'm retired :) Mackenzie and I have a good routine going.  We don't make it to story time as she has skating those days, but it's probably just as well, she can't be quiet during a story to save her life - she might be too much of a distraction.  Every week after her gymnastics class we head to the library. Mackenzie carefully places all our returning items in the designated bin, making sure each pile is even, sometimes painstakingly even!  Then we head upstairs to the children's section.  It's a beautiful space with murals on the wall, a pirate ship to play in, a fire truck to read in and many many books to choose from - all at a child's level.  Usually she will go play in the pirate ship for a bit while I browse the books and DVD's, then she goes to the computers where we find the Dora game to play.  It amazes me how quickly she picks up on computer games - my tendency is to show her how to do it all, but she just figures it out on her own.  There is a wonderfully comfortable chair next to the computers that I get to take a break in while she plays.  I do logic puzzles, read, or Facebook while there - it's so relaxing.  Often times she will pick a book and I'll read to her in that comfy chair too.  We check out our books and movies, then go downstairs to find something for me.  After checking out my items, we have to spend a few minutes talking to the fish before we can go.  I love our library trips and look forward to going each week.  I hope I'm helping to create those fond library memories for my children and they'll always have a love for books.