Oh, how I love the public library! Nothing has been able to diminish the magic for me. Not the vagabonds, the mutterers, the teenagers. Not the screaming children or the ubiquitous story times. Not even the rows of glowing computers have been able to shake my devotion to the library.
I have belonged to a library in every place I have lived, no matter how brief the stay, no matter how small the library. Whitehall, Montana. Boulder, Montana. Eugene, Oregon. Raton, New Mexico. Santa Fe, New Mexico. Springfield, Oregon (I still owe them money...) Tallahassee, Florida. Boulder, Montana again. And now, Baltimore, Maryland. My memory for detail is rather poor, but I can clearly remember the look and feel of each of those libraries. What magic, to be able to walk into a building full of books and take home whatever you want! Even in the smallest of towns and the most tiny of libraries, one is able to escape to places far, far away from your present circumstances. Is that the crux of my fascination? The fact that, as a teenager in rural Montana, I could leave that miniscule and smelly library with an armful of culture and thought and adventure? Perhaps. I still remember when Inter-library Loan was introduced to Whitehall. The incredibly tactless and unpleasant librarian became a beloved figure in my eyes when she explained that she could order me books from ANY library in Montana....could you imagine!
Now Rowan and I go to the library almost every week. He loves the process of returning his books into the box, then picking out new ones. He wants to read them as soon as we get home, and usually takes them to his nap with him much like a beloved stuffed animal. Then, when he is asleep, I get to have my own private library ritual. I stack all of my books and bask in the riches for a moment. I leisurely open each book and survey it, then read the very first chapter. The first chapter is both rule and a delight to me. I have to read a bit of each book before I can settle into one (usually the mystery) for good. Each time I am universally thrilled with what I have found. Later, I may realize that I don't like a particular book. I probably won't finish them all. But for the moment, I feel like the richest person in the world.
Here is my latest stack, dug for like treasures from the tiny branch library in our neighborhood:
One Magic Square, by Lolo Houbein
The Writing Life, by Annie Dillard
About Face, by Donna Leon
Home, by Marilynne Robinson
This Body of Death, by Elizabeth George
I love Annie Dillard...will have to check that one out.
ReplyDeleteWe have yet to make it to the library here in Eugene...which is so silly but I'm with you on the pure joy of such an experience. I love that you are passing it on to Rowan!
I wish wish wish I could do it! I think if we had your marble airy light Baltimore library I could, but the one here is just too offensive I can't get over it :(
ReplyDeleteOh, this is wonderful, Axon! Libraries are some of the most wonderful places in the world. I always visit the library when I go to a place. Salt Lake City gets the prize for coolest library so far - there is a rooftop garden with a view of the city and the terrain on the horizon. It's amazing.
ReplyDeleteI once managed to get a library card in a city where I "lived" for less than a month. :) I wasn't able to get one in Tennessee, where I spent three weeks in 2001, but fortunately I had access to several excellent private libraries and thus did not go into withdrawals. I too am a library addict, and often check out books even though I haven't yet finished all the ones checked out the last time... or the time before!
ReplyDeleteAre you an Elizabeth George fan? My mom and I just read "This Body of Death", and were kind of lukewarm about it. Such a mistake to kill off Helen--the books since then have not been nearly as good.
I cannot wait to have kids and to introduce them to the library! (I'm assuming they'll take after their parents...)
ReplyDeleteWhen did you live in Springfield? I am so baffled by this one.
We absolutely love our library, too! We live in a TINY town (pop. 700) and our library is two blocks away so we're there almost every single day. It gives us an excuse to get out of the house, not to mention the treasure trove of books it is! :) I just love putting books on hold and going to pick them up. It's like Christmas!
ReplyDeleteSo which of the stack did you choose to read? And when are you going to post again? :-)
ReplyDelete