Support your local library

I love libraries. I remember walking once a week to our neighborhood library when I was a teenager. As long as the weather was good, my friends and I made the trip. The library was my refuge, a place so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Living in a two-generation home was often challenging. My grandparents had different ideas regarding child-raising than my parents. I needed a quiet place to work on school projects and sometimes to just daydream.

When I entered the library I entered another world, a world where I could escape to interesting places and meet the most fascinating people. The world of books transformed my life. I read about other young people who had triumphed over adversity and succeeded. My knowledge of history expanded beyond what I learned in the classroom. I discovered an interest in politics and government which has stayed with me throughout my life.

The staff was always willing to help me find a book and would even recommend something they thought might interest me. I almost felt like a different person when I entered the library. Carrying a stack of books in a tote bag for almost two miles each way was no fun but somehow I knew it was worth it.

I still feel something special and comforting when I enter a library and am fortunate to have many libraries near me to visit. I believe libraries are a precious resource available to all. It doesn't matter if you are young or old, rich or poor, the library is always a welcoming place to spend some quality time.