What Would We Do Without Libraries?

Today, I continue our Teaching Authors series on libraries: how we use them, why we love them, and what we love about them.

Whenever I hear about a book I want to read—on a listserv, on the radio, in a conversation—I search the library catalog online. I can reserve books from anywhere in our county library system and pick them up from my local branch. For research, it’s priceless. I've even emailed articles to myself. Wonderful resources! And free!

Our library offers an amazing array of services from read-aloud programs for little ones to candidate forums for voters to book deliveries for shut-ins. Miss Heide, the children’s librarian, raises monarch butterflies every summer for visitors to watch.

I stopped in yesterday to drop off books I had read, pick up books I had requested, browse a bit, and take a few pictures for this post. Alas, although I can see the photos on the camera, my laptop will not read the disk.

Don’t we love technology?

Only when it works. I’ll leave you instead with some lovely spring flowers, photographed with my phone.

You’ll have to imagine the community bulletin board, the student art on display, the helpful staff. Imagine Miss Heide herding a flock of chirpy kids through the picture book area. Imagine two rambunctious boys rifling through a pile of books on a little black cart. They inspired this poem.

Little Black Cart 

Are you done with your books?
Please don’t put them back.
Shelving is tricky,
and we have the knack. 

Whatever you’ve finished—
The Farm Almanac,
Training Your Yak,
Baking a Snack,
Riding Horseback,
Ducklings that Quack,
Your Zodiac,
How to Kayak,
Programming a Mac—
belongs in this stack. 

If you’re not checking out
that collection of art,
decided against
the novella with heart,
don’t need the recipe
for strawberry tart,
leave your books here
on the little black cart.

Not sure what your library has to offer? Check out the web site. Better yet, stop in and visit!

Today’s Poetry Friday Roundup is at Reading to the Core. Enjoy!

JoAnn Early Macken