By Philip S.
As a child, my family moved around a lot. Once, when asked how she tolerated relocating from one town to another, my mother replied, “As long as there’s a church and a library, I’m happy.” I recall after one move, getting my new library card and rediscovering many of the familiar friends I thought I’d left behind. Over the years, wherever I lived, I could always count on being surrounded by old friends: Sherlock Holmes, Jay Gatsby, and more.
I’ve always been an avid reader, sometimes to my detriment. While in school, the library provided a base for required reading, term papers and science projects. And as a young adult, it became an invaluable source of free entertainment. Best-selling authors, classic movies and music were made available to me and others with very little disposable income.
Today, matters have reversed. When my aging mother moved in with us, one of the first things I did was take her to the public library, followed by MANY weekly trips until her failing health made it impossible. I believe her influence led to two of my siblings ending up employed at libraries, continuing to encourage young readers and assisting others in their quest for knowledge.
I don’t quite have the time to visit the library like I once did, but friends and I have formed a 501(c)3 in support of literacy and our local public library system.Air Max