Among my fellow 365 bloggers, do you have a relationship with your library? What does it consist of? Where I grew up in Queens, a branch of the NY Public Library was located in a housing project. I went there often, as did my parents. Later, when I lived in Manhatten, a guy enthusiastically exposing himself pretty much ruined my interest in the main branch.
Here, the library started out as a store front on our small town's Main Street. The first librarian I knew there was not a real librarian in any sense of the word. She refused to give children library cards, and said I was a bad mother for not letting my kids eat her lollipops. Today, the library is contained in a beautiful old mansion with a friendly, knowledgeable staff. They know me well. I've taught various classes there, play Scrabble there every Thursday afternoon, and every three months ace (or come close to acing) Trivia Night with my intrepid team. I donate books regularly, and just as regularly buy books, movies, and audio books from their ongoing sale. The one thing I no longer do at the library is borrow anything. I just got too lax about returning things on time.
How about you?
I have no physical relationship with my city library. But you've given me an idea of a post topic and I may play with form! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteI had a history with the library where I grew up though. I should write about that separately.
The library here is large, well-staffed, and an irritating drive from my house, into some of the worst Poconos traffic (which I know is nothing compared to city traffic, but in a city I could get to a library without a car!). We donate books, and buy other books, from this library, but hardly even borrow anything. I feel nothing for the place...too impersonal, too blandly modern.
ReplyDeleteI love our local library, and almost all the books I read are borrowed from it. Like Kim though, the physical space doesn't do anything for me. But it's currently under renovation, so maybe I'll find it more alluring when it re-opens.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite library was the Carnegie Library in Pittsburgh. Huge and old, it had several rooms, including one with mostly comfortable wing-back chairs. I had to take a bus to get there, but I went several times during my Pittsburgh years.
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