I have loved reading as long as I've been able to identify what a book is for. I remember going to the Folsom Library with Aaron when I was in middle school--he would drive us over and I don't recall him ever rushing me. He'd get his nose in a book somewhere while I'd happily peruse the young adult section. I always ended up with a nice stack of books to take home.
Once I started high school, we no longer went. I had a little more income of my own, so I bought more books. My card was lost at some point. I moved here, there, and everywhere. I grew up, got a job, and bought lots of my own books.
It was only a few months ago that it occurred to me to get a library card again.
I don't have a tremendous amount of time to spend in libraries, perusing...but here's the most glorious part: the Sacramento County Library system is all online. So I can request a book, and when it comes in, I can pop in to get it on my way home from work.
Yesterday, I was out running some errands--a dental cleaning, gas for the car, a stop to buy deodorant--and on my list was to stop at the library to pick up a book they had on hold for me. I decided to go in for a bit, and ended up in the children's section, reading three books I found of the Cinderella story...but in the Hmong culture, in ancient Egypt, and Mexico of the 17th century.
Later in the day, I got to chatting with my dad about taxes--all the upcoming changes and what it means for me as a single-income homeowner. It remains to be seen if it will affect me all that much. Talk turned to what our taxes pay for, and I told him, "One thing I'm very glad to have--my library."
Think of it--books galore, books I want to read, available to me at no cost. All I had to do was show proof of address to get my card, and it's good at any branch in Sacramento County. And with everything being online, I don't have to go out of my way to get any particular book--I can simply request it be sent to Antelope for me when it is available. When it arrives, I get an email notification, and off I go to pick it up.
Marvelous!
And libraries aren't just books anymore--they are community spaces with free internet access, meeting rooms, and events. My library has yoga one Saturday a month, and currently has a community tapestry weaving project set up next to the entrance. I even saw a sign where people can check out games to be played in the library. It has current periodicals and newspapers, and DVDs. It was quiet this morning, but I've seen it busy and bustling with people. It is a warm, safe, clean place filled with resources and knowledge. It is a community treasure and out to be treated as such.
It saddens me that library funding is often cut, when these are places that communities should gather, where children should be encouraged to go for books. When did schools and libraries stop being so important to us? Isn't it a tragedy that they did?
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