National Library Week

This week is the ALA sponsored National Library Week. In honor of this, Booking Through Thursday, a weekly meme about books and reading, asks: How often do you use your public library and how do you use it? Has the coffeehouse/bookstore replaced the library? Did you go to the library as a child? Do you have any particular memories of the library? Do you like sleek, modern, active libraries or the older, darker, quiet, cozy libraries?

Unfortunately, I don't use the public library as often as I should. Mostly I use it to check out books on tape or to stock up on light reading when I'm going on vacation. The last time I used it, I checked out some baby name books.

I don't believe the coffeehouse or bookstore has replaced the library. They offer different services than libraries do. Most coffeehouses don't offer books, for instance. I've seen articles recently showing that usage of public libraries is up due to the economy. As people continue to look for ways to cut costs, I think being able to obtain books and access to the Internet for free will continue to draw patrons into their local libraries.

As a child I used my school library a lot. I don't think I went to a public library regularly until I was in middle school. Once I conquered reading and really began zooming through books, my local public library became my favorite place to go. I used it a lot through middle and high school.

I prefer well-lit traditional libraries, with comfy chairs and all of that. I'm not one who ever really studied in the library, unless I was doing something with a group, so I also don't think that they need to be as quiet as a tomb, either. I'm really excited about this project at my alma mater and hope that they will obtain the funds needed to complete the transformation from stark office space back to cozy reading room, especially since the existing "reading room" is now used almost exclusively as a lecture space.

Finally, as someone who is trained as a librarian, I'd like to mention the librarians who influenced me over the years. I think meeting Mrs. Miller, the school librarian, when I was in 4th grade put me on course to going to library school many years later. She probably more than anyone else influenced me to become a reader. She was followed by Ms. Blair in middle school and Mrs. K. (Kelter? Keltzer?) in high school. Nearly everyone remembers Bruce at my alma mater, the most amazing reference librarian I've ever met. And then Margery, the college archivist who hired me one summer. I worked for her for 3.5 years and then went off eventually to library school so I could follow in her footsteps.

How have libraries and librarians influenced your life?