Thursday, August 5, 2010

Check it out

Bug got his first library card last night and he signed it. Then he spent a bit of time selecting which books he would take home with him. I hope he enjoys his library as much as I enjoyed mine growing up. I loved everything about our small town library. The children's section was in the basement. It had a picture book room with the tiny chairs (and a special bathroom with a teeny toilet for tots) and the larger open area for bigger kids. I couldn't wait until I was big enough to sit in the full-size chairs. As a little girl I envied the older kids who would pick out a book or two, sit at a table, flip through the books and try to write a report for school. I practiced making their scrunched-up/thinking faces. It looked so grown-up and smart and I couldn't wait to do it.

I made my own library at home out of the books on my bookshelf with signs for anyone who wanted to borrow them along with fees if they were returned late. It was as profitable as the time my brother and I tried to dig a swimming pool in our backyard. Oh, how I wanted a date stamp like the librarian had. For years I thought her name was Mrs. Carnegie because that was the name of the library.


The library near us isn't as glamorous as the one I grew up with. Sure, you get that "library" smell when you walk in but it doesn't have the charm of a building from 1902. I'm hesitant to visit "my" library again. I want to keep my memories just as they are. Who wants to see that the entry way by the librarian's desk isn't as grand as it was as a child or that the section just to the right of the door where people read newspapers isn't as exclusive as once thought? I'm happy to keep the memories I have and ready to build some with Bug at his library. Who knows when he grows up he may look back and think that his library was beautiful, too.

7 comments:

  1. Great story. I always loved going to the library as a kid also. We don't go now though...I am Barnes and Noble addicted. I don't like deadlines, that's the problem ;0)
    I don't rent movies or borrow books due to that reason. Hope Bug enjoys his visits!

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  2. We have a wonderful library in our city. The boys just love to go. I am saving it for our next rainy day this summer. Libraries are awesome. :)

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  3. I LOVE the library!! My kids love it too, and that signature on the card is ADORABLE!!!

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  4. Like you, I grew up with the basement children's section complete with storybook mural on its ancient walls. Our library is this hideous 1960 monstrosity complete with those awful sky blue panels below the windows. I don't go there as much as I should. We go to Barnes and Noble. Which is a shame.

    Yay, Bug. Reading opens the whole world to them!

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  5. I love this post! I LOVE the library too, still do. There's just something about it that enchants me. I could spend all day in there. I love taking my kids to it too. This is so sweet girl. :)

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  6. Im glad my girls have a library now. When I was a kid growing up here our library was very small and outdated. No actual library network where you could request the books be brought to your library for you to check out!

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  7. It sounds like you had a wonderful library!

    I use to love to play "library" with my friends. My uncle gave me one of those date stamps and we thought it was the COOLEST thing!

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