The public library system . . . is one of the great miracles of this country . . . — Rebecca Solnit
It probably comes as no surprise that we at Capstone love libraries. I'd be willing to bet that many of us who work here were fortunate enough to have an adult who introduced us to libraries as children, helped us pick out books, and helped us learn to read.
My local library is where my love for reading blossomed. My dad and I would go every Saturday morning. I always wanted to go on Sunday, too, and would repeatedly ask my dad if we could, until I finally understood that it was closed on Sundays. My dad made sure I got my own library card as soon as I could start reading. I thought it meant that I was really mature and all, that I could have my own library card. Looking back, I'm sure it had something to do with the fact that you could take out 10 books at a time on one card, and my TBR pile always consisted of at least 10. So with two cards, we could each take out 10 books, and I think we often did.
There were so many great things about going to the library. I looked forward to browsing the shelves, going to read-alouds, and even trying to find my dad among the maze of stacks. But my favorite part of the experience was the check-out. I loved plunking my new pile of books down on the counter, and watching as the librarian meticulously stamped the checkout date and the return date. I enjoyed thinking about who had read the books before me, and when. I loved going home, often stopping for donuts on the way, to read, read, read. I still believe donuts and books to be one of the loveliest combinations.
I'm so grateful to my parents for fostering and then supporting my love of reading as a child. I'm grateful for the librarians who recommended several middle-grade Revolutionary War historical fiction novels when I thought I could find no more. I'm grateful for my college English Lit. advisor, who helped reinvigorate my love for libraries with several assignments to just "wander the stacks". And I'm delighted to work at a place now where library love is prevalent.
All this is to say that libraries are simply magical places.
Tomorrow, February 6th, is the perfect time to celebrate them, with Take Your Child to a Library Day (TYCLD). Whatever kind of library you visit — from the Little Free Library in front of your neighborhood convenience store, to your public library in the city center, to the book bus that travels the country . . . all of them have so much to give. If we teach our children to love them, we can guarantee they'll be mainstays in our society for centuries to come.
— Eliza Leahy, Associate Editor
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