I love books, I’ve always loved to read and the library has had a place in my life since I first picked up a book in elementary school. When we moved into a new subdivision where there was no public library, we had the “Bookmobile” that would come around. The Bookmobile parked at our school parking lot and I would be so excited to run to it, climb up the stairs into the tiny corridor (it had stairs inside too) that just smelled of books, all those paperbacks.
I went through all the Nancy Drew books, some of the Hardy Boys and Bobbsey Twins; then Harriet the Spy; as I got older, the Judy Blume books, Flowers in the Attic, Harlequin romances when I was 13 (yes such realistic portrayals of love LOL)… When a public library opened in the local mall across the street from my high school, I went there regularly for research but also to pick up great fiction. At that time I also began to realize how much the library was about community, with its bulletin board with community events, job postings. I posted a piece of paper offering piano lessons at my home with my phone number as tear offs and did find some students that way. After high school, I was focused on academic reading so the university libraries were where I hung out, not so much frequenting the public library.
I rediscovered borrowing books once I started full time work. Although by then I could afford to buy books, and Indigo is just such a pretty lifestyle store.
We moved into this neighbourhood when I was expecting our son. The local public library became the best place for us when the kids were young – what a great gathering space with children’s programs, librarians who read to kids, play rooms, community events so young mothers could meet other young mothers. And children could read books, play computer games and start learning how to research. All for free!
I remember the kids being so excited to go to the library. Parking in the underground, plopping my daughter into her stroller and making our way over to the convenient elevator that took us up into the modern building with so many windows letting in bright light.
If the kidlets wanted some computer time, I would get some of the recent issues of magazines, and let them play. A bit of mommy time, keeping half an eye on them while I flipped through the glossy pages of House and Home, Bon Appetit, Elle, Vogue, Vanity Fair and the occasional People Magazine. Later on a small cafe opened on the main floor, so when you entered you could smell the delicious aroma of coffee and vanilla hot chocolate, my daughter’s favourite as a tween. By that time, we would be going to the library to pick up DVDs for family movie night, and I would get the latest CDs to listen to in the car or at home. Memories of my time as a stay-at-home mom, a treasured time for me, a big part of my story.
With the advent of audio books, e-books, and movies that we can now borrow online through library apps, and with the kids getting into high school and then off to university, there was no need to frequent the library. Certainly less so during the pandemic – but I still borrowed hard copy books, putting them on hold, and selecting convenient times for pick up at scheduled slots. Reading was super helpful during Covid times.
Now that I have more free time, (again), I seem to be putting more books on hold than ever, I can barely keep up. I went a couple of days ago to return a book. I noticed all the new offerings of programs for adults and children, writers’ residence, books clubs, job search groups … you can even borrow tools and baking pans (!) … so much community lives in this space. The cafe has re-opened and they are still serving those white hot chocolates, with sandwiches and muffins now too. This wonderful feeling of comfort and nostalgia washed over me as I walked by the children’s area. Those were halcyon days.
It’s so lovely to know that there’s a place to go to experience that feeling again.
Do you visit your local library?
(A sculpture of Girl with a Book, at our local library)
At a time 
Yes! LOVE libraries! They are such crucial hubs of information and community and comfort and safety. I have been pulling back on the number of physical books I check out (I only have three, currently) but I am always listening to an audiobook from my library and have a billion ebooks checked out to my kindle. Libraries are magic!
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Ooooh, I love a good library post! I love the library, and like you, read the Harlequin novels around the same age (and the Nancy Drew, Sweet Valley High, Beverly Cleary etc.) And Flowers in the Attic! What a weird book but I guess many of us went through that phase. I moved to London in 2004 and even got a library card there and went and got books; I don’t know what I would have done without it as I literally could not travel with enough books to keep me occupied. I am very glad that ebooks are a thing now, as it saves me from having to carry heavy books around, but I still am so thankful for the library!
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I love our library, but I admit that I wasn’t really into reading when I was a kid. I was often embarrassed because I read so slow and my younger, pompous brother was a reading whiz and taunted me. Anyway, I now love reading. I take the tots I sit for to the library to play or to attend storytimes (but the storytimes aren’t greats since covid). A few years ago I discovered their maker studio and I made banners on a screen printing (hot press?) machine with a bunch of photos of my kids and their college friends. Those were a big hit. I can use their embroidery and sewing machines to make projects. When my kids were little we met so many friends at the library and they hosted awesome programs that the kids still remember. I love the library.
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Man, I love the library so damn much!
When I was growing up my mother would let us walk to the library during the summer while she was at work. We actually got in trouble because we weren’t really supposed to be at the library without a grown up.
Every time I go to our library these days, I think about how amazing it is that there is a place with rows and rows of computers that allow anyone to access the internet. There’s something that feels really great about knowing that this resource exists. I mean I love the books and movies and all that, but I’m always just blown away by how a library is there to serve the community.
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Your library sounds so so wonderful. So warm and a place of comfort.
Me previous apartment was two minutes from a beautiful library with lots of events and community. Now that we moved again the next library is about 20 minutes from me. And unfortunately it is not very inviting. It feel more like a university library or a brand with shelves. And they have no English books. The few they have are from the 90s so it’s really underwhelming to be honest.
There is a book mobile coming weekly but I haven’t picked anything from there.
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I’m a library fanatic and huge supporter, even here, in French-speaking Quebec, I’ve managed to create a whole English section for them in my local branch. And, according to the librarians, those books get taken out a lot. I don’t think I could live without access to books and the written word.
I love that you got to make so many lovely memories with your kids going to the library and getting the most of the experience for both you and them.
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Growing up we had a wonderful library system across the city, and my mom would take us to the library every week for a stack of books. My kids loved going to the library when they were little… but as the years progress our library has become so bland and not much happens, so sadly, it isn’t a space where I want to hang out.
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