If you haven’t heard, it’s National Library Week, so let’s all collectively cheer for libraries from our desks/couches. (I’m on the couch! Yes!) Ok? Thanks!
I thought in honor of this week, I’d thought I’ll list my reasons why I love libraries, other than the fact that they give me a job. And student loan debt, but I guess you can’t have one without the other.
Moving on, I love libraries because:
You can get almost anything you want for free or for very low cost. Books? Movies? CDs? Video games? Toys? E-readers? Expert reference help? The interweb? Book recommendations? Craft times? Events? Meeting authors? Prizes? Answers? The Hunger Games? Yes. All that and more.
It’s more than just a storage facility for items. If we felt the same way about all storage facilities for items, there’d be an American Walmart Association and people would go to school to be a Walmar-brarian. We’d have nostalgic, happy memories of going to Walmart on summer mornings to watch stockers stock. The library is a place for the community and a symbol of education and freedom.
It’s a haven for the jobless, the jobbed (?), the young, old, teenaged, rich, poor, everyone. It’s for all and the people who work there work for you. Sure, we have our own ideas, but we want to make you happy and provide you with the information you need.
It’s a community center. Here’s what happening at my library today:
10:00 AM – CRAFTY KIDS in the Garden Room
11:00 AM – BABIES & BOOKS in the Garden Room
4:00 PM – WRITERS’ WORKSHOP in the Trustee Room
4:15 PM – FAIRY CIRCUS in the Hall
6:00 PM – POETRY SLAM in the Garden Room
6:00 PM – METHUEN YOUTH HOCKEY in the Trustee Room
6:00 PM – WEIGHT LOSS CHALLENGE in the Study
7:00 PM – STUDY GROUP in the Hall
7:00 PM – GLBT in the Trustee Room
7:00 PM – TROOP 51 in the Study
Six out of ten of those things are more “book related.” Somedays it’s more heavy on recreational things. That’s great. People love to use the library for groups and meetings and events. Sometimes they even find some books when they come here for something completely unrelated to the library.
The Library is (or aims to be) a safe place for all. For people needed to research important things in their life and for just a good place to be. (Though I must say: we can’t watch your kids. Watch your own kids.)
It’s full of people who care about books and materials and connecting patrons to them.
Did I say it’s full of books yet? It’s full of books – my favorite things!
P.S. If you want to read the ALA’s State of American Libraries report, which I know you do, it’s
here. Enjoy.
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Published by lcarslibrarian
I probably can't really be an LCARS librarian since I'm stuck in the pre-warp drive for humans early part of the 21st century. Bummer. But if I could be an LCARS librarian I would. Or I would work in Stellar Cartography. Or is there a library on Battlestar Galactica? For now, I'll just stick to reading books, writing, and earth-bound YA librarianship.
I hope to use this blog as a way to write book reviews for myself and others, and to write about librarianship.
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lcarslibrarian 
Thanks for the library report link!
Here are some of the other things I love about the library: giant book sales, museum passes, people that know your face even if they don’t quite know your name yet, and a great way to meet other moms.
Oh yeah, book sales!
I have been to the library twice this week! Story time for Lucy, tons of new kids books, 2 movies, a Wii game, garden reference, kids science activities, and cookbooks, photocopies, plus 3 novels! Miles loves to play this game where he runs away from me as fast as he can through the aisles of books. Noah loves to play computer games. There are free stickers at the Children’s desk. I could go on. Libraries rule.
That’s a favorite library game! And free stickers are pretty awesome. You’d think you just gave kids a pony, cake, and Spiderman all at the same time when you give them a sticker. It’s awesome.