Public Libraries...

[AmyLizzie]

Not sure where to post this so I'll post it here, just a little ramble really...

I recently went into my public library after a long abscence and I discovered something...it was nice. Nice just to wander aimlessly through the rows of books, enjoying the silence, breathing in memories of when I spent hours in there as a naive sixteen year old :) Occassionally I stumbled across a book that I had previously read, a book that had meant something to me and it made me smile. I t was comforting to hold the book in my hands and flick through the well-remembered pages with a certain fondness. As I stood with a particularly memorable text in my hands I realised that these books have made me who I am, reading them is like returning home and feeling safe. In the midst of horrible days, and recently there have been quite a few, they are a reminder of who I truly am, not who I pretend to be to the world around me. They are the things I return to, and will always return to, and without trying to sound too cliched, they are the things that keep me sane in this troubled world. :rolleyes:

[jtb1951]

A good ramble, AmyLizzie... I may have posted elsewhere earlier that my local public library branch in Chicago was almost a home away from home when I was a wee lad. Being totally surrounded by books, books that I could just pick out and lose myself in, was a pleasure almost beyond words. Coming from humble roots we didn't have an abundance of reading materials at home, but my dad encouraged us to take full advantage of the library, because he believed that developing a love for reading was a priceless asset, one that he had missed out on as a kid himself. So I was hooked on libraries early on, both of our daughters were exposed to books as toddlers, caught the bug, are voracious readers, and big-time users of their local libraries. Here in Carol Stream ,IL three referenda for expanding our woefully inadequate public library have been voted down over the past few years, and it deeply saddens me that many folks are much more concerned about their SUV's and vacation homes than they are about spending a few bucks to ensure literacy in their offspring! Enough of a rant; I'll get off my soapbox, but obviously it's a pet peeve of mine that the dumbing down of America is not only allowed to continue but is actively encouraged by our proudly mediocre leaders. Love and peace!!!:).

John.

[AmyLizzie]

Well said John :) xxx

[vicki]

That was lovely, AmyLizzie--I can so relate to that sense of comfort you're talking about. I spent so many hours wandering through my public library when I was a kid, looking at all those spines to see if something interesting or familiar caught my eye. And I think I read the first paragraph of every book in the kids' room, looking for new book-friends. I can still lose myself at the library for hours at a time. Like it was for you, John, the library was a home away from home--a most beloved and happy-making place. BTW, John--your dad sounds like a terrific guy. :)


Here in Carol Stream ,IL three referenda for expanding our woefully inadequate public library have been voted down over the past few years, and it deeply saddens me that many folks are much more concerned about their SUV's and vacation homes than they are about spending a few bucks to ensure literacy in their offspring!


Grrrrrr!! I am sorely tempted to sic my little friend (http://www.virtual-design.com/demos/voodoodoll/voodoo.asp?section=demo&subsection=voodoo) on such short-sighted and selfish voters. :mad: :mad: :mad:

[jtb1951]

Vicki, you crack me up!:). The voodoo doll is awesome! BTW, thanks for the kind words about my dad; unfortunately, I have to refer to my folks in the past tense since they left this world 16-17 years ago. However, their influence on the world still exists in the form of their 11 offspring, especially, the eldest (moi!):). Later!

John.

[vicki]

The voodoo doll is awesome!


Yes, my little friend has come in handy quite a number of times over the last few years.

Wow--eleven offspring! I wonder if your parents ever read Cheaper by the Dozen for parenting tips? I gave that book to a couple with 5 kids, and they said it had advice on how to deal with a large brood. Hehehehe!

It sounds like you lost your parents early. I'm so sorry about that. Your youngest siblings can't have been very old. But I'm glad y'all had each other.