By Katherine M.
Had someone from the future told me I would one day work in libraries…I would have not been too surprised! As a child, I visited the Fairfield Public Library (CT) children’s department and loved their wooden climb-thru cubbies and the bright tiny furniture almost as much as I loved borrowing a new story book. I tried my best to memorize the words and pictures knowing the book would not be mine for long. What an impression it made, taking my book to the big desk and seeing the ladies stamp with gusto, giving me looks over the counter top that wordlessly conveyed the message: “take care of this book and you can come back for more”. As a tween, I continued to visit the Fairfield Public Library; I walked from Tomlinson Middle School every Friday after school with my best friend to study. Instead of studying, we tried our best to suppress our endless chatter and tweenage “joie de vivre” with our undone homework spread out on a carrel. I used a copy machine for the first time, and shyly asked a librarian to show me how to use the card catalog. I checked out every Stephen King and Danielle Steele book I could find. Twice.