Public

Libraries Create Communities

By Shawn O.  Libraries have been an important part of my life since I’ve been able to walk and talk. I remember story time as a child, checking records out of my home-town library collection, spending hundreds of hours completing research and writing papers in the library, and today checking out eBooks. My best friend … Read more

The Unforgettable Walk

By Susan P.  My 4th grade teacher walked our entire class to the local public library periodically. If we had a school library, I don’t remember it. This was a long time ago; I was in 4th grade during the Cuban missile crisis. Mrs. Petersen saw to it that we went to the REAL library. … Read more

Posting About More than Books on Social Media

Social Media

By Vanessa Craig

It’s pretty common for public library Facebook feeds to be heavy on book content. This is great, but when 30% of library users say they know little or nothing about the services their library provides, it’s important to promote digital resources on social media channels too.

Rosanna Johnson, marketing assistant at the Chandler Public Library, has done a stellar job sharing what her library has to offer. Not only has she posted web ads on the library’s Facebook page, but she has also linked eResources to other city events and clubs.

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A World of Imagination in One Building

By Jennifer A. 

I’m 30 now and don’t live near the public library in my hometown of Midland, MI, but I will never forget it. It doesn’t look the same as it did 20+ years ago – it now has a coffee shop, a teen room, and several updated and refreshed spaces – but it still has the feeling, that feeling you get when you walk into a library and there awaits endless choices of where your imagination can take you inside its shelves. My mother or father took me to the library every 1-2 weeks to pick as many books as I could possibly want from the shelves to take home. When I was little, it was picture books, and boy does Grace A. Dow Memorial Library have a lot of those. I competed in Battle of the Books at the Library. I participated in the Summer Reading Program EVERY summer to get the free TCBY coupons and free Pizza Hut personal pan pizza.

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Making Childhood Memories at the library

By Candice K.

Many of my memories from my own childhood are from visits at our local library. After all, it was a convenient and easy place for my mom to take us since it was right around the block from my house. I remember how excited I was to enter the children’s section and to pick out new Curious George and Amelia Bedelia books. Boy, was I excited to read them with my mom as soon as we got home!

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Home Away From Home

By Sarah S. 

Growing up my parents were both avid library users. As time went on Mom started working full-time and couldn’t always pick us up after school everyday. We ended up walking to the local library and staying to close (our choice) whenever we went there. We each would find a corner to curl up with our homework and latest personal reading book. Mom would have to search the building for us if she wanted to leave any earlier than closing time.

In high school nothing changed in my love of the library, except for adding a new favorite library. During study hall I would race to be the first one in class so that I would be granted a library pass. It was my hour of bliss during the day; my sanctuary within the school grounds. I did all of my studying either at the town library or in this brand new high school library.

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Fond Memories

By Laurie O. 

My earliest memories are growing up in Clifton Park, NY and walking to the (old) Shenendehowa Free Library down the street from my house. My great aunt was the library assistant and she had such love for BOOKS! She inspired me to go there often to participate in community activities and bring books home to read.

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Expanding a Child’s Universe

By Forrest M. Both of my children received their first library card when they turned 2. They have always had books around them be they picture, graphic novel, cartoon, chapter or a work of literature. Now that they are older, they constantly max out the number of books they can check out (50 at a … Read more

Where Do You Want to Go? A Book Can Take You

By Vanessa M. 

My parents were big believers in reading and its role in education – not just traditional education, but self-guided: the experiences, perspective, and communication advantages that come from being well-read. There were always stacks of books around the house. We took full advantage of our library – it would have been unaffordable to buy that many books each week.

My literary interests hopped around the world. At one point I was obsessed with the North Pole. Then Cambridge. Then India. The library always had books to take me where I wanted to go. We actually traveled as well, but many places I’ve only experienced through books. In college, I used medieval primary texts. I never would have had access to these outside of a library. It was simply amazing to smell, see, and feel a book that old.

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Library Equals Liberty

By Joel B.  Growing up my only access to a wide variety of information was the library. Book reports, speeches and studying for final exams happened at the library. It’s a place where you know the environment is curated for learning, focus and exploration. Now being a father of two children going through school I … Read more