Booking Through Thursday: Library Week

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 go to the library at least 5 times a month. I usually go to pick up books that I ordered and to return them, but I have recently attempted to get to know my library a little better. Instead of just ordering books to be sent to my library, I try to browse once a month.

In the summer when I was little we used to spend hours in the library. My brother got free chess lessons. They had super fast internet. They had books...now I spend less time in the library. Just like picking up groceries, I pick up books. I've recently rediscovered my library. We have a new huge, modern library and I'm neglecting it! I spent 3 hours there one afternoon. It was great! I prefer a mix in libraries. Our old library was tiny and messy, but cozy. It was old and noisy since everyone was confined in a small space. The layout of our new library lets you chose whether you want noise or coziness.

The lady checking out my books for me yesterday commented on how she remembers when I was in the childrens' library. She's seen me change from reading only The Baby Sitters' Club to what I'm reading now. I don't live in a small town, but our library gives you the sense that you are. I have a history at the library and people know me there. I can't go anywhere else in my town and have that.

Isn't that what a library should be? Forget the layout or the selection of books. The mission statement of my library is to be a community center. My large suburb has a small town within itself, the library.