You can never have too many visits to libraries!

I don't make anywhere near the use of libraries as I would like. With the internet there's been a lot of need for them lost for a lot of people but some are learning to adapt to gain benefit for people.

Libraries are busier than ever. Books circulate as much as they ever did, and many systems also offer the opportunity to borrow e-books. Many are starting to loan e-readers. Libraries offer access to technology services. More than 30 percent of US households do not have an internet connection.

They offer free wifi, and good atmosphere to read, research, work and study. Not everyone lives near Starbucks!

Of course, library budgets are being slashed left and right, just when people are using them more than ever.

I love libraries.

Here is my library story. I live in a town of about 48 people. Today at the only church in town we had a funeral for one of our townspeople who was in a nursing home. She would have been 98 next week. They have so few members that I volunteered to help get the lunch ready. By the time we got upstairs it was full. After the family was brought in they brought more chairs up from the basement. We were sitting way in the back by about 4 shelves of books. I started looking at some of the titles and they sounded really good. After the service they went over to the next town for the burial and I didn't go. While I was waiting for them to come back for the lunch, I went upstairs and was looking at the memorial flowers and I started talking to one of the members of that church. I told her I wonder if they would let me borrow some of their books to read and then I could bring them back. I figured they probably didn't use them much anyway. She told me they used to use them but not so much anymore. She told me to go ahead and get some and she said it would be just like a lending library. When we were walking out she said she probably doesn't have the authority to do it,but she said she would do it anyway. I think they only have about 20 people who attend the church anyway so she probably has just as much as anyone else. One of the first books I am going to get is I WAS A SLAVE IN RUSSIA. I think that sounds really good. As they say only in a small town could something like this happen. I don't even belong to the church.

My library stories:
I was absolutely thrilled when I turned five and could have my own library card. I loved that old building and my dream was to get locked in overnight (this was when I was older) so I could sit and read without interruption. I didn't think to worry about supper.
When we first moved to this community the library was a small room in the grade school. The librarian was wonderful. She used to hold my babies in her lap and read to them so I could look for books. She would also have suggestions for me and my elderly neighbor, knowing exactly what we would love.
We moved up the coast aways and was fortunate to have access to a large regional library. Our small town librarian had moved and was the main librarian.
After my son was in college, I went to the library and Mrs. G stopped me as I went in. She wanted to tell me how happy she was my son had stopped by on his way home to thank her for his love of books and for helping him during his high school years. I had no idea he did this.
We moved back to this once small community 25 years ago and the library had expanded. Now it was in a larger place in a little shopping area. Mrs. G had retired but the librarian was a delight. In several years it moved to a big trailer parked on county property and there was a mobile van once a week.
Finally, the community raised enough money to go with a grant and a big library (for our area) was built overlooking our regional park. It is a mile away and I we go there at least once a week. If I go in without my DH, nothing is said but if he goes in without me, they ask if I am OK or out of town.
I am forever thankful for libraries and librarians who make reading special for everyone.

Ah - fellow book and library lovers. What a warm spot I hold in my heart for my library. My tale is similar to Carol's. The little town I grew up in didn't have a public library but the Women's Club had a room in the high school where they ran a lending library. My Mom would volunteer there once a week and promised that I could join her when I turned 5. I loved going with her and felt so important when she let me put books on the shelving cart or stamp the due date on my brother's books.

After a few years the town built a beautiful public library and hired a full time librarian who posted a notice about paid positions in the library for students. I was one of the first 'pages' and earned 70 cents per hour - at that time baby sitting was 50 cents - this was in the early 1960s. I worked there 10 hours a week until I was old enough to drive and then worked part time at the supermarket to earn real money for college. Even in high school I spent study halls working in the school library.

But my love of books and libraries held strong and after college I attended graduate school to become ...you guessed it...a librarian. I never doubted my career path, I knew from little up what I wanted to do. After graduation I worked at the Free Library of Philadelphia and just loved my work. Whether is was helping a student with home work or recommending a book to an avid reader or answering reference questions I looked forward to going to work every day. I can only hope that my children find such satisfaction with their jobs in life.

The link below is for fellow librophiliacs - those lovers of libraries who might enjoy looking at some photos of beautiful libraries, most of them are historical and architectural stunning.

Here is a link that might be useful: librophiliacs

I love,love,love libraries and book stores. Can spend hours in both. My sister has a chronically ill daughter who is frequently hospitalized. The hospital set some book shelves in the waiting room and people started donating books. There is no need for a library card or a sign-out. You just take a book and read it while you wait, or take it home if you like. People keep bringing more and more books and placing them on the shelves. My sister has seen this little "free library" grow over the years. What a great idea!

maire_cate -- There went a big chunk of my morning, looking at those marvelous libraries. Thanks for the link!

Our town library was in the basement of a little building shaped like the sharp corner it was on. (Three roads crossing; a 'six corners'.) My pediatrician's office was on the first floor. She kept a pair of friendly Kerry Blue dogs under her desk. I associated the smell of books, dogs and medicine with my childhood library. Today that town has a huge pink brick Georgian Colonial library set in a park.

Here is a link to a picture of the Baker Street library in Bakersfield, CA where I got my first library card.

Here is a link that might be useful: Baker Street library

Those of you who enjoy libraries would sure love it here where I live in W.Massachusetts.

Right here in our city of Chicopee we have a large library right in the center of town, about 1/2 mile from our house.

Our town adjoins the city limits of Springfield,Mass and they have the main library which is a 100yr old building that covers and entire city block plus they have 6 branch libraries and three more that are opening this week. (The main library is about 2 miles from here)

Or we can cross the river to Holyoke, Mass, a mere 3 miles, and they also have a huge city library.

Add to that, In Springfield they have STCC (Springfield Technical Community College), AIC (ASmerican International College, The Elms College (Formerly an all womens Catholic college but now its co-ed),and Western New England University, across the river in Holyoke we have HCC(Holyoke Community Colllege, and 2 miles north of that we have the town of South Hadley, with a very nice community library plus Mount Holyoke College (Ivy league womens college) and in the next community which is about another 5 miles we have the city of Amherst, which is the home of the University of Massachusetts + Smith College (which is another IVY League womens college) and Amherst College which is an IVY league mens college.

All of those colleges have libraries that are open to the general public.

In addition, they list 125 private specialty libraries in the Springfield Metro area that are open to members and most of them have a membership fee under $10/anum.

Someone above mentioned they love going to the library but parking is a PITA. Check this out..In our area we are served by the Pioneer Valley Transit Authority buss lines. That is a combined effort sponsored by 11 or 12 communities and the buss line serves an areas almost 25 miles north to south and 11 miles east to west.

A 31 day monthly buss pass is $42 but ppl over 50yr old get a senior rate for $22/mo and that is unlimited use of the system.

I have a buss stop within 200yrds of my house and all the libraries post the buss routes that serve them on their websites.

Here is a link to the Springfield library;
http://www.springfieldlibrary.org/

I forgot to mention that all of the busses have a bicycle rack on the front bumper and they all wheelchair accessible