I went to the library last week. I haven’t been there in 3 years. It was closed for at least two years due Covid lockdowns and renovations.
I like the way the library smells. I like meandering down the aisles and browsing the shelves until an author, a title or a cover catches my interest. I like the way books feel in my hand. I like to read the back cover, the inside flaps and maybe even the first few pages to see if the book captures my interest. I like the hushed silence of the library. I like seeing other book enthusiasts scanning the racks like me. I like the special shelves – Librarian Picks, Newberry Award Winners, NYT Best Sellers, Edgar Award Winners.
It was the highlight of my week.
I had forgotten how much I love the library and real books.
I remember getting my first library card at the Tamaqua Public Library when I was 5 years old. I remember being thrilled that I could go into the children’s section, pick out any book I wanted and take it home to read. And it was free!
I went to the Tamaqua library every two weeks for as long as I lived there.
We also had libraries in all of my elementary schools. They didn’t have as good a selection as the public library, but I was a regular borrower at school too. One the school librarian recognized me, she would start recommending books based on my tastes. In 5th grade, when my librarian saw I had been reading about General Custer, Daniel Boone, and Davey Crockett she said,
“Custer was a cruel man who killed and tortured many Indians. He wasn’t a hero. You should read some books about Indian chiefs to get a different perspective.“
She pointed me toward me books about Red Cloud, Sitting Bull, Crazy Horse, Geronimo and Cochise that changed my entire world view.
Due to Covid and convenience, I started borrowing e-books and reading them on my iPad. To borrow a book, all I needed to do was open an app, post and click. I thought this was the perfect solution. I never had to worry about returning books late, because app handled that automatically. I could browse multiple libraries at once. Searches were fast and convenient.
I wanted e-books to work. But for me they did not. Over the past few years, I found my interest in reading decline. The selection of ebooks was always limited compared to the selection of real books. Reading on the iPad was never a pleasurable experience. For me, there’s something about the physical connection to the book that brings meaning and joy to the experience of reading.
So I’m glad to be back.