Wednesday, September 7, 2011

How Did I Forget?

When I was little one of my very favorite things was the library.  I remember my mom taking us when we were really young, letting us check out as many books as we liked.  We were lucky enough to live within bike riding distance when I was of the age to find that awesome, so I was constantly back and forth, picking up age appropriate books like 'Flowers in the Attic' or some nonsense.  (Oh my, the updated cover of that book makes it look exceptionally creepy...assuming you know those two characters are BROTHER AND SISTER).  

Anyway, back on topic here, which isn't that I was reading the disturbing writings of VC Andrews at the age of 11, but rather that I was in love with the library.  I was a regular through elementary and middle school, but then... well, I guess I got rather distracted in high school (it happens).  And then as I started college I used the University library all the time, but never got books for personal reading.  I just....forgot.

It isn't that I didn't read for fun in college.  Oh, I did.  I read a lot, but I became intent on buying all my books.  Intent isn't even the right word.  It just never occurred to me to go to the library and get them.  It might have been due to some rather large fines I had accrued in the late Middle School years.  (They frown upon losing the 'S' volume of the encyclopedia.)  So I bought books.  A lot of them, actually.  I got them on ebay, not caring if they were used.  I wanted them all in hard back, I guess envisioning a day I would have a library in my home where I could build ladders to my books that would reach to the top of my 30 foot ceilings...something along the lines of Beauty and the Beast I think. 

But since the addition of a personal library has yet to occur in our home, I started selling my books.  Buying them, letting them lay around in the way, then selling them for much less than I paid.  Then money got tight and I was like, "I want to read that... but I can't AFFORD to go buy another book right now!"  And then, my friends, the light came on.  THE LIBRARY!

Let me be the first (since your mother and grandmother) to tell you, the library is AWESOME.  Did you know they have, like, ALL THE BOOKS!  And did you know it's FREE?  What in this day and age is free? Can you imagine a video store that was like, "Oh, you want to see 'Forest Gump'?  Just go ahead and take it.  Make sure to bring it back though, or we will charge you a dime a day!"  A DIME A DAY.  that's the late fee.  And really there is never an excuse to have a late fee because you can now renew online.  And you can put books on hold online, so they are just sitting there WAITING FOR YOU.  And they send you emails to remind you your books are due.  They have this thing down to a SCIENCE.

My life has changed, I tell you.  Today Henry and I spend over an hour at the library.  I picked up my two books on hold (Books four and five of the Outlander series...of course.) (SO. GOOD) and Henry picked out three books to check out for himself.  Then we read a few more in the kids corner, just for fun.  Played with the barn yard table for a little while, then headed home.  Spending exactly zero dollars.

The library.  Who knew?*

*My Aunt Jan , the librarian knew.  She is shaking her head at me right now, I can feel it.

5 comments:

  1. Just like you I got most of my books to read from the library until I started university. I started buying the books then and I still do. More than I can read at a time I admit. I haven't been back to the libarary since. I guess it's because have this strange (and stupid) desire to be able to read the book I want to read, when I want to read it. Either because I already own it or because I can easily just buy it and don't have to wait to get it at the library. But I could save quite some money if I could ever get over that notion

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  2. I was definitely shaking my head through the whole post! I love the library and don't know why everyone doesn't take advantage of it. They even have free books you can download and read on your iPad and Kindle now. Pretty fabulous. Glad you finally found the place!

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  3. Yes we rediscovered the library about 4 years ago too! Everything is online too-they email you to tell you your books are due-NICE!

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  4. Ahh! I loved the library as a kid as well. I loved the way the books smelled!! I have sadly not made the time to do much pleasure reading since college but get the urge every now and then. Reading is such a joy and I need to do more of it! Maybe I should make a trip to the library here and I will be inspired!

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  5. My daughter and I just recently discovered the library too!! That cover for Flowers in the Attic is really creepy...ew. Anyhow, I started reading the Outlander series because of you. I just started it this week though. I've heard nothing but great things about it since deciding to read it. I have soooo many kids books, but it still gets old reading them over and over so we have LOVED the library for that!

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