Public

Impeccable Timing

By Lynn M. 

I just finished watching the library video story when my 7-year-old nephew knocked on my office window. Unbeknownst to me, he had been camped out under my window with his father’s watch to tell him when my work day had officially ended. The reason he was so excited? His favorite author we had been sharing together had released a new series he found at our local library. We began the original series together, first my reading to him, then progressing to sharing the reading together, and finally him reading the last three books to me. He was so excited he already read the entire book during recess, lunch, and the ride home from school. Neither his father nor his mother read for pleasure. While they are quick to pay for a new video game or toy, they do not buy him books. His love of reading is supported mainly by our local public library and his school library. Checking out my limit of books is how I devoured books when I first learned to read, and it’s so wonderful he has that resource available to him in this day and age of digital media. Without the resources a library provides, he would be limited to the books I buy for him as the only adult in his life that shares the love of reading. When he can devour a book in less than a day, it’s not a habit anyone less than a full library could sustain! It is so wonderful to see him just as excited by library day at school as he is by pizza day!

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Libraries Provide Educational (and Creative) Resources for All

By Farah F. 

I was listening to an interview on NPR with Regina Spektor one summer, where she stated that libraries are sort of a level playing field for everyone. Everyone deserves the opportunity to learn, to enjoy books and film, music, and research. Libraries help keep our communities educated, and allow these resources to ALL.

When I was a kid, we didn’t have a decent internet connection. Our house was on 5 acres of land. But we were required to use the internet for our projects in school. Needless to say, the library helped me with this. Even in college, I would look up my grades, pay my tuition, and more, at the library if I was back home for break.

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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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