A Library…
“What? What do you mean I can’t check out the book?” I was dismayed by the rejection of my request. The rejection came from my favorite app, Libby, which allows you to check out books so you can read them on your phone or listen to them as an audiobook. I don’t read books on my phone or much of anything… if I can help it. But it is simply delicious to listen to a book. I read a decent number of books, but when I can’t, I listen.
My library card had expired, and I had to pay for the renewal to check anything out. However, this was where the modern ways of operation failed, as the librarian announced that they could only accept payment in person. Ah, great balls of fire! As much as I prefer the old-fashioned ways, this was where modernity would have suited. Oh well, I didn’t despair—another excuse to go to the library. I never come back empty-handed.
A library and a reliable café with well-brewed tea is a phenomenal combination… I find. And since I find this combination irresistible quite often, I spend a lot of time there. A library is what centers a sense of home for me. I believe one can tell a lot about the population in the surrounding area by the sort of library it has.
For instance, not only does our library, which won a national award for the best children’s library a few years ago, have a café, which happens to be a satellite of my favorite restaurant, Sweet Lemon (think French country), but it also has free books for ownership. These are books that represent excess inventory and whatnot. One can, of course, donate, but otherwise, they are free. It has an art gallery that frequently changes to show new local artists’ work and a bookshop with donated books available at a significantly discounted price. I once purchased a collection of Bernard Shaw’s plays in a beautiful linen binding, if not a bit worse for wear. Local musicians hold their performances there occasionally, on Sundays, which are free to the public.
All in all, a library, or perhaps this particular one, means a great pastime. One can get a cuppa, look at local art, check out a book, or get one for peanuts and listen to good music.
I say, next time you visit somewhere, check out the local library… it just might turn out to be a sort of Alice in Wonderland experience.
