Typically when I go to my local library I head right for the check-out desk and simply pick up the items I've requested on hold. I will sometimes browse around, but not often.
But this weekend I went to my library in the company of Mr. CR, who wanted to look around first. So I said okay, and went downstairs to pick up the most recent issue of Esquire that I could get (hello, Clive Owen!). While I was there, I wandered through the nonfiction travel section and looked at books on Scotland and England. I then popped back upstairs and considered the CD collection for a while, thinking I should learn something about classical music and selecting a Chopin CD, but then changing my mind and taking the soundtrack for The Motorcycle Diaries, which I'd heard before and liked. I headed over to the DVD shelves to see if Mr. CR was ready (he wasn't; he was considering whether it was a sign from fate that the first DVD of the first season of Deadwood was in, and that he should start watching the series).
Fine, I said, and headed over to New Fiction and New Nonfiction just to browse. As I was running my hand over the new book spines (I always do this around books; for the most part when shopping I don't touch a thing, but I am the original Miss Touchy-Feely when it comes to books*), something occurred to me out of nowhere:
Libraries are really pretty great, aren't they? They're entire buildings housing books, CDs, magazines, movies, and tons of other things, all just sitting around waiting for me to borrow and use them--for free. It's unbelievable, really. What an idea. Let's all share some stuff. How on earth did that ever get started? I mean, really, it's stunning. We can't really figure out public education, we spend too much on war, and health care is a mess, but in libraries we really get the idea of "share and share alike" right.
It took my breath away, to be honest with you. It's so sad that I didn't have that feeling anymore for the last several years that I worked in a library. How typical. I couldn't really appreciate the library until I stepped out of it. Although I sometimes miss the library, I'm so glad I quit, so I could have that feeling again.
*Speaking of books as objects, check out the neat list at Reader's Advisor Online of books about book covers! Super cool.
I know just what you mean. Every time I step into a new library, I cry a little. It's a beautiful thing, knowing that no matter where you go, there will be the Dewey Decimal System and the "librarian's picks" display.
Posted by: Jessica | 27 April 2009 at 11:57 AM
Ahh...you said how I feel exactly CR. I am always braggin about how great libraries are to my "non using" friends. And don't get me started on how amazing it is that Dewey came up with a system of organization that works 100 years later. I'm so lucky that A. I have a job in this economy and B. one that I truly enjoy going to everyday. Yeah libraries. P.S. are you going to WAPL?
Posted by: katharine | 27 April 2009 at 02:53 PM
Jessica,
I'm with you. The Library of Congress classification system actually makes me more teary-eyed, as I LOVE academic libraries even more than I love public ones, but I'm with you. Dewey and librarians' picks (which is why the new library that I visited, that didn't have a "librarians' picks" area, pissed me off so badly) and free books, oh my!
Katharine!
I know you feel this way and I've always been slightly in awe of you for it. How you managed to work in libraries full time and keep your lovely positive attitude was always a wonder to me. Yeah libraries! And yes, I WAS going to WAPL--until they cancelled their reader's advisory day. I'm so ashamed that the state of WI couldn't drum up enough interest in RA to sustain a one-day session on it, but there you have it. I know it's not a stellar year for anyone to get resources to go to conferences, but still. Are you going?
Posted by: Citizen Reader | 27 April 2009 at 06:09 PM
I feel exactly the same way about libraries. I just love them, and I'm so grateful for them. Because I wouldn't be able to afford my book habit without libraries! I'm at the library about twice a week and get all my books from there. Best place on earth!
Posted by: Molly | 27 April 2009 at 07:08 PM
Going to WAPL for two days on WLA's dime, which is nice.
I am volunteering at the registration booth so I will complain to the organizers they need to have more RA stuff next year. I gotta watch out for my peeps.
Hope to run into you at MY library one day...
Posted by: katharine | 27 April 2009 at 08:33 PM
Me bummed too (about WPLA).
I have been very fortunate in that MOST patrons (whatever) here are so very appreciative, but it's been kicked up a notch since the beginning of the year. It's almost as if they are half afraid that we will vanish. Seriously. And of course our business is booming. And then you might take a pay cut. How many "businesses" have that happen? Hah!
Posted by: Sarah | 28 April 2009 at 11:25 AM
Molly,
I'm grateful for them too. They're really the only thing my tax dollars support that I feel good about. There's NO WAY I could do nearly the amount of reading I do without the library.
Katharine,
Good for you! We'll have to get together after it and you can tell me what you learned--as well as any good library land gossip you might pick up!
Sarah,
I'm totally bummed about WPLA. I've never actually wanted to go to a conference before so of course this is the one that got cancelled!
Sadly, I never noticed that our patrons were all that thankful, but maybe I was just catching them all on their cranky days. I figured business was probably booming but it's nice to have it confirmed. And I hope you don't have to take a pay cut--I know that you work too hard for that!
Posted by: Citizen Reader | 28 April 2009 at 06:07 PM
The only thing that bums me out about being a librarian is that I never get to go to the library anymore. Reading this post reminded me of how much I loved doing that, and, at the very least, I hope I help run a library that lets other people get that feeling, even if I don't have it myself.
Posted by: laura | 13 May 2009 at 04:32 PM
No worries, Laura; you won't be working in a library your whole life, I'd guess, and they'll just be waiting for you to visit them when you get out.
Sorry. Don't mean to make it sound like a prison term. I bet you do run a library that other people enjoy visiting--I know I wish I could visit your library!!
Posted by: Citizen Reader | 13 May 2009 at 05:02 PM