Library- Learning to Love it... again!

Libraries.
I love to go to the library.
I love the shelves upon shelves of books.
I love the organization of information.
I love the endless (seemingly) supply of stimulation available for the imagination.
And what about the smell?
Yes. The library has it's own smell.

The only exception would be when I HAD to go to the library.
Somehow the task of a daunting research paper took all the enjoyment
out of spending time in the library.
Being the over-achiever, perfectionist that I was (Boy! Becoming a mother has sure changed some things!),
I never attempted the easy, obvious subjects.
No.
I always seemed to choose the most difficult subjects to write about.
Of course, I wouldn't realize I'd chosen the most difficult subject until I'd spent enough time and effort pursuing it that it was impractical to change my mind.
Yep.
It was those times that the library did not equal enjoyment.

Then I had children.
I remembered the fun I used to have in the library
pre-research paper days.
I just knew my girls would LOVE the library too.
And so I packed up the diaper bag, buckled everyone into their car seats, loaded the stroller, and ventured off to the library.
After finding a parking space, I lugged out the stroller, unbuckled car seats, buckled a baby into the stroller, grabbed the diaper bag (that doubled as my purse), grabbed a toddler hand, instructed the oldest to hold the other toddler hand, and
traversed our way inside the library.
As predicted, they LOVED it.

Of course, trying to keep three young kiddos quiet, well-behaved and under control, soon thwarted my own enjoyment of the library.
But the girls were hooked.
It was hard to keep them from clearing off entire shelves of books.
Thank goodness the library put a limit to the number of books one could check out at one time.
Of course, twenty books can still be quite daunting.
And I thought it a wonderful idea to allow Industrious One to have her own library card. That meant our limit was doubled to only forty.

Books are wonderful!
Reading books can take you anywhere in your imagination.
The benefits are undeniable!

However, a deep dread soon overshadowed this wonderful place called the library.
One ripped book--- really, really ripped--- we're talking about several important pages of said book-- sent me to a dark place where the library was concerned.
Being a responsible, honest citizen and patron,
the image of an angry, unhappy librarian drove me into action.
I immediately went searching for a new copy of the beloved book for the library.
As Murphy would have it, the title was out of print!
::groan::
I finally found a used copy on the internet and purchased it.
The librarian was anything but angry with me over the ripped book.
She even seemed surprised that I produced a replacement.
Still, I was scarred.
Add to that incident a few times of forgotten due dates and large late fees,
and I soon found any number of reasons and excuses why we wouldn't be going to the library on that day.

But now my girls are a little older.
There are no more diapers, no more strollers, and no more paper-ripping toddlers.
Each one has grown to love reading.
Each one has their own library card.
And each one carries their own bag of books.
The kiddos still LOVE the library and fill their bags with their limit of books which promptly sweep them away to quiet places of imagination.

Library, I love you again!

© 2010
All images property of Jodie L Hemersbach
Do not copy, capture, print or steal.