The first library I ever remember visiting was the library in Red Bluff, California. I was five at the time, and living with my aunt while my mother was recovering from surgery. I remember the children's area of the library, and in my recollection of the place today, the rows of books went all the way up to the ceiling. I remember specifically, although not by name, a picture book a pulled down from the rows, about children leaping for the moon.
When I was a child, the library came to me. Every couple of weeks, the mobile library van parked around the corner, its desultory young driver oblivious to my excitement as I climbed the steps up into the back of his van, a cramped space lined with shelves of books. For me, it was Aladdin's cave. It was the place where I fell in love with books. Everyone should have such a place. Thank you John Scalzi, for thanking the libraries . . .
Yvonne, thanks a million for sharing this post with me. I wish to hell I could remember the name of the librarian in that big bus of a library van. I can still see its grey paintwork, with North Eastern Education & Library Board emblazoned in crimson on the side. The librarian was fantastic. I remember his willingness to order any book that I wanted. He was a tall guy with fuzzy auburn hair, a beard and metal-rimmed glasses, and looked as if he should have been a researcher, or even a presenter, on the Old Grey Whistle Test! What a fantastic resource that was.
I am trying to collect more details from the Crillys!! Ma remembers you sending her with a list of very specific titles. I on the other hand used to just grab anything. There was something about getting the date stamped on the book and knowing I’d get a different one next week.
– when I had to go to the basement of the PHoenix library and search through periodicals and microfiche. It’s just not the same anymore.
Funny, but the only other library I have a distinct memory of is the one at Stranmillis.
These two just were my idea of how a library should be.
Mind you, I did love it -pre The Google
All that memorizing the Dewey Decimal system ….
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I love this post. Libraries are magical places. I’m glad my oldest son still has a longing for them. I read to him the most and took him to the library the most, so it makes sense that he frequents it much more than his brothers. Now I’m off to get an audiobook for my frequent trips down to the Bay Area for treatment. xox Jan
Oh, they are magical places, aren’t they, Jan? I have been emailing my brother back and forth today, trying to get the details right about our mobile library. Hopefully, I’ll have something to post about it soon. Sophie rarely goes to the library, I’m afraid. I think it’s because it would be different if it were more convenient. But then, nothing’s really convenient in Phoenix
all so spread out. Now if I could just win the lottery and live in a little town with a library on the coast, I’d be set!! I haven’t done an audiobook yet, but perhaps it is time to try!! Thinking of you and hope the treatments go as smoothly as they can for you, Jan.
Thank you, Yvonne, for sharing John’s post with us. What a great read! I really enjoyed this.
It was great, wasn’t it, Nancy? It makes me want to rush over to the library and apologize for having been such an infrequent visitor!!
this was a great post! it must have been such a delight for john to go down his library memory lane – sure was a treat to read. it made me recall my first trip to the library – i hugged those books to myself, and just kept thinking how unbelievable it was – books! to take home! and i could get MORE next week! now i enjoy going to the libraries that have used books for sale; what a triumph to come away with grocery bags filled with such treasures for less than the price of one book at the bookstore.
love, xo,
karen, TC
I loved it too, Karen! And judging by all the comments, it struck a chord with so many people. I rarely go to the library anymore, but I love knowing it is there, like an old friend who’ll never let me down.
I don’t care much for the big shiny bookstores, although I don’t like to see them disappear either. I could spend an entire afternoon in a used books store. I always find something unexpected – on the day Nora Ephron died, I found a first edition of her Scribble Scribble. I paid $3 for it.
y
Oh I have enjoyed the post about libraries so much, guess it take me back a bit, however I just wish mobile libraries were a bit more popular today, well done xo
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