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Thursday, April 2, 2009

Booking Through Thursday- Library Week

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Suggested by Barbara:

I saw that National Library week is coming up in April, and that led to some questions. How often do you use your public library and how do you use it? Has the coffeehouse/bookstore replaced the library? Did you go to the library as a child? Do you have any particular memories of the library? Do you like sleek, modern, active libraries or the older, darker, quiet, cozy libraries?


I love the topic for this weeks BTT!! Libraries have always been alluring to me. From the young age of 5, libraries have played an important role in my life. My mom started taking my brother and me to our local library when I was in kindergarten. I remember getting into a little bit of trouble with some overdue books. My mom received a phone call because the books were late. She asked me where they were and I lied and told her that I had no idea. She discovered them under my mattress with the library card holder ripped out of each and every one of them!! I remember this moment so vividly because she asked me why I would do that and I told her, "Because I love them so much I wanted to keep them forever." Thus starting my lifelong obsession with books and libraries!!

As a young kid during the summer I would jump on my sparkling purple bike that had a beautiful basket hanging on the front, and peddle furiously to the library almost every day during summer vacation. I started with the Nancy Drew series and gobbled them up like candy. Next I demolished the Hardy Boys, the Black Stallion series, and then I asked the librarian, "Where do I go now?" She pointed me to Trixie Belden, a series that I was totally enthralled with for quite some time. Another fond memory is when I requested a copy of "Forever" by Judy Blume. I was in the 6th grade and when it came in the librarian wanted to know if my mother knew I was reading this book. I said, "Yes, Mrs. Krohn, she knows that I want to read that book and she said it was fine." Well, needless to say, she didn't believe me and called my house only to look shocked when my mom said that I could read anything I wanted. Score one for me!! It didn't keep me from going back to the library though, I understood that Mrs. Krohn was from another era and a book that talked about a girl having sex for the first time was something she just frowned upon. When I reached high school I found a sanctuary in our media center. It was HUGE! and for a small town school that I went to that was really something unheard of. Here I was able to explore and read to my heart's content. After graduating I started Michigan State University in the fall of '87. I was blessed to get a job at the university's library!! This was beyond my dream!! Holy moly, the stacks and stacks and floors and floors of books!! Pure bliss!! I worked in the GIFTS department and I was always in the stacks looking for State's copy of a book that was donated so that we could compare and see which one was in better shape. This would take hours because you still had to use the CARD CATALOG-you know the one, with hundreds of drawers that contained thousands of cards!!

Libraries have always been in my life...when I moved to Indiana one of the first things I did was find out where the library was. I introduced the library to my two sons and they have always enjoyed spending time at one. I'm blessed that here in Michigan I have a fantastic county library with many branches and wonderful people who work there. They know me by name, it's kind've like walking into Cheers! On top of that, I work in a middle school library- what could be a better job for a book-a-holic?

I'll take my libraries any way I can get them, be it sleek and modern or charming and cozy. I always feel at home when I step inside. As for my usage, well if you read any of my Library Loot posts then you'll find that I use my library a LOT!! I couldn't imagine my life without a library.


9 comments:

  1. Thanks for sharing your library experiences :0) I used to read Nancy Drew and the Hardy boys books by the dozen. And while I would check out 10 books whenever I went to the library, my sister had to be coaxed to check out even one. We are complete opposites!

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  2. I was such a magnet to libraries when I was young. I still remembered that sensation of getting my library card—that felt so privileged and special!

    I love reading my own books at the library these days! :) That said, I’m justified to visit my favorite bookstores almost every other day. But when I need to find out about new authors and reference materials, I turn to the library.

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  3. I loved reading your post Staci! How cute that you hid those books under your mattress wanting to keep them!! That's hysterical!
    I love the library as well and have many fond memories of them as a child. I posted some pics of my favorite library when I was a child in my post today. How cool that you get to work in a library now. That would be the best job!

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  4. I have always loved the library and have been wanting to get to the one here since we moved...Hope to soon. Great post

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  5. You naughty girl! I wanted to keep my books as well but ended up bringing them back. In fact, I found some books I had from high school about 6 years later and took them back!

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  6. I always love hearing your library story. I wish the library here was open more than M-W-F. I'm trying to stay away though because I have a ton of books at home from bookmooch I want to get through first. Great post. :)

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  7. Great post Staci. I love the hiding of books under the mattress. Too cute. It's funny how most of us seem to have been obsessed with books and reading from a young age. You're lucky to work in a library-I think that would be great. I wish I had a nicer neighborhood library but it's ok. This summer I'm going to venture to some others in the city here. They're bigger and much fancier than mine. The one I go to now though is the one I've been going to since I was a little tyke going with my mom.

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  8. What a great post, Staci! I have such fond memories of the library from my childhood years. It was like a second home to me.

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  9. I love your post! I loved the library as a child and I still do as an adult. In college, I had a particular floor and a particular table where I liked to study. Completely surrounded by books. Neat memories.

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