How Do You Use Your Library Card?

September is Library Card Sign-Up Month. To celebrate, the American Library Association has provided a list of 52 Ways to Use Your Library Card. Number one on the list is to get to know your librarian, which strikes me as an excellent idea. Librarians are among the most knowledgeable and helpful people I know.

I make regular trips to the library, both for work and for entertainment. I enjoy searching the catalog online, reserving books from other libraries in the system, and picking them up at my local library. Since I discovered caterpillars on the milkweed plants in our yard this summer, I've been researching monarch butterflies, and I've checked out lots of books.

I found a few more intriguing uses for a library card.

22. Trek to another planet in a Sci-Fi novel.
30. See a new art exhibit.
52. Read a newspaper from another country.

A couple more practical ideas on the list also appealed to me.

32. Find a new recipe. Right now, the garden is providing us with plenty of tomatoes and other fresh vegetables. The library has a huge selection of cookbooks to browse through and experiment with. I enjoy cooking, and I could use some new ideas.

45. Learn about home improvement. After our sons left for college, we emptied out one bedroom, hung drywall to cover the ugly old ceiling, mudded the joints (a process I found surprisingly similar to frosting a layer cake except with my fingers), sanded, installed crown molding, and started painting. I'm enjoying the chance to spend time together (school starts soon!), even during our many trips to the hardware store. Next we plan to install new sliding closet doors.

After we finish this project, I'll have to try out some new recipes. Maybe I'll invite a librarian for dinner.

JoAnn Early Macken