I cannot express how much I love the library. I did not appreciate the library enough as a kid. I did not appreciate our librarians enough in elementary, middle, and high school. It wasn't until I went to college and grad school that I discovered the joy of the library. I remember taking books out as I kid. I remember the librarian knowing how much I liked books with princesses, saving the newest ones for me ( I think that's how I read The Paperbag Princess for the first time). Yet, it wasn't until college that I discovered the peace a library can bring. I also discovered that you could order basically any book and as long as it was at another library in the system. I thought this was only a perk of a college library, little did I know how wrong I was!
When I moved to Allegheny county I discovered how awesome public libraries are today. I can go online, search the entire Allegheny county library database for any book, movie, book on cd, or music cd that I want. I merely have to add it to my cart, request the item, wait a few days, and it is waiting at the front desk for me to check out. I love it! I order stuff all time. There are books I want to own and there are books I like to borrow. Right now I'm on a biography kick so I have been getting biographies out of the library so if I hate the writer I do not feel guilty for wasting my money. The library even lets you borrow books on your Kindle or other e-reader devices. I haven't tried this out yet but I will someday ( my Kindle is full of books I've downloaded but I haven't been in the mood for those lately, plus I still love the feeling of a book in my hand).
The library was a life saver when D was little and we were trying to keep him quiet during church. Every two weeks I would go to the library get twenty "new-to" D books out and give him ten books each week. He'd sit quietly every week looking at books he had never seen before and we'd make it through almost the entire service before we heard a peep from him ( unless i choose poorly for the week). We don't do that now with him because he is old enough to pay attention and L is too loud with books (not exactly the quietest thing to hear a child "moo" or "roar" during church!) but it was just perfect for D. I was so thankful for the library every few Saturdays. I must have looked like a nut to the librarians!
We discovered the joy of books on cd for car trips, through our local library. If you are going on a trip get some books on cd for your kids, you may just have a reprieve from "are we there yet?" I highly recommend the "Nate the Great" books on cd. The man who reads them is great, he gives all the characters distinct voices that will influence your reading of the books forever! I look forward to the days when we can borrow The Chronicles of Narnia for a long car ride ( we've already read the first two to D but L is a little uncooperative with the LONG readings and no pictures and I don't think he'd listen to them yet). I also can't wait to listen to Anna of Green Gables and Anna of Avonela with little girl T. I know I loved the version read by Megan Folley when I was a middle schooler. I listen to them on tape over and over again.
If you are lucky enough to live close to a public library and you haven't used it, go check it out! Things have changed dramatically at libraries over the years.
