Booking Through Thursday

How often do you visit a library? Do you go to borrow books? Do research? Check out the multi-media center? Hang out with the friendly and knowledgeable staff? Are you there out of love or out of need?

I've gotten out of the meme habit but I saw this one on Holly's blog and thought I'd play.   The library has always been one of my favorite places, but over my life my use of it has changed.  As a teen it was my favorite place to go and I'd check out (and read) stacks of books.  I'd peruse those bound volumes of old magazines just for fun and I loved research assignments.  I'd get hooked on topics and authors and read my way though them.

In college the library was my favorite place to hang out if I had a break between classes.  I didn't read as many books at that time in my life, but I read a lot of journal articles, and not just in my field.  I had a large number of magazines I'd at least flip through, and every now and then  a journal totally unrelated to my field of study would advertise an article that caught my eye.  I may not have gotten any credit for the hours in the library, but I learned a lot.

As a young adult I lived in an area with a horrible library system and got out of the habit of using it.  However about the time I had kids, we built a beautiful new main library.  I'd take my kids to story time, and sneak away to grab books for myself.  Then I discovered the library website!  I can search the library's holdings across the whole system, reserve books I want and have them sent to the branch near my home.  I can search back issues of the newspaper.  I can peruse databases full of interesting information.  I can download audio or e-books.  How often do I visit?  Probably a time or two a month during the school  year; more often during the summer.  I don't hang out, but I do love going.