Library Life

Last week Iddo got her first library card. She even helped me sign her name to the back, grabbing the pen while I was writing and adding an extra flourish of a scribble in the middle. She thinks it is delicious. She hasn’t used it to check out any books yet, but I can only imagine the worlds she will discover with it.

I love libraries. When I was in 7th grade I would go to the library after school and wait for my mom to finish at the elementary school and come get me. I read all the books on parakeets, thus convincing my parents to let me get two. I read craft books and picture books. I read history books and books about elephants. Reading all the elephant books didn’t convince my parents to let me have one though.

I read “A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens at that library over several days, hiding it at the back of the paper book rack each day when it was time to leave. Yes, I know you can check books out and take them home to read. Which was the problem. I had an over due book I kept forgetting to bring back so they wouldn’t let me check out any more.

In college I often studied at the library. There were much fewer distractions there than at my apartments. Although I still managed to distract myself quite well with all the books. The Harold B. Lee Library is a magical place for me.

And when I kept finding things to do besides sitting down to work on my papers for graduation and my dissertation, I packed up my lap top and went and sat at the library, finally managing to get it all written.

I can’t wait to see what I do next with my library card too.