One Proud Niece.

My Aunt Kathy and I have always been two peas in a pod.  In fact, we jokingly call each other "soul mates".  One of our shared passions has always been writing, and to be honest, I couldn't be more proud of what she accomplished last week.  She recently entered a contest at her local library--write an essay about "Why I Love My Library".  When she emailed me a copy of her essay, I made the mistake of reading it in my classroom while my students were taking an exam.  Needless to say, they saw me shed a few tears (I'm sure they blamed it on the pregnancy hormones!).  The essay is WONDERFUL--a beautiful testament to the importance of a local library, and to the beauty of the journey we mothers are on with our children.  Please enjoy her essay...

     There I was in between the stacks of book at the library, directly in front of the section on pregnancy, fighting the nausea as I started my journey down a new road called motherhood.  Little did I realize how often that road would lead me to the library.  I had visited this wonderful old building infrequently before this new experience began, but now it was going to become a familiar friend that I looked forward to seeing often.

       When my little boy was about five months old, we discovered the joys of story hour with Miss Kelly each Friday.  It became a special part of our week.  He loved the other children, the stories, the songs and especially the librarian.   Eventually he would outgrow this story hour and find the courage to attend a new story hour by himself, as I looked in through the glass, wishing time hadn’t gone by so quickly, but happy that the library could keep up with his growth.  In addition to the weekly story hour, there was the happy occasion once a month of donning  night clothes and choosing the special stuffed animal that had the privilege to attend pajama story hour, featuring not only books and songs, but juice and cookies, so much better than the ones at home.  This was another opportunity to see his favorite librarian, Miss Kelly and later on, the equally loved, Miss Jean.  It was a sad day when we realized he was too old for any of the story hours, but fortunately he had not outgrown the children’s department.

     There were lots of other wonderful programs that he could participate in and we took full advantage of the opportunities offered such as puppet shows, magic shows, animal presentations, bingo games with prizes, duct tape workshops, lego fun, weekly learning activities, monthly featured authors  and many others.  Every time there was a signup sheet, most likely our names were on it!  It wasn’t just the programs that attracted us to the library either, some days it was just the warm, inviting atmosphere.  A peaceful stroll among the quiet of the books (but not too quiet, it is the children’s department after all), finding old favorites, discovering new favorites, realizing we have read all the titles offered in a much loved section, playing a game on the computer, searching the movie section for a treat to watch at home;  all components of a happy morning especially when it was gloomy outside. 

     And then the happiest library day of all, when my son could write his own name and receive his treasured library card, almost like having his own key to the building.  It was a proud moment for not only us, but all the Facebook fans, one of the few times that I posted on my page, but it was worthy of the merit.  He worried whether he would have to pay his own fines or if I would do that for him, but so far his record is clean. 

     We have found our place not just in the children’s department, but in every nook and cranny it seems, like the shelf where he found the “library’s biggest book” which had to go home with us.From the time as a toddler when he pushed the emergency button in the elevator to the present time when he marches up the stairs to the Simoni room, we have enjoyed exploring the other areas in this beautiful old building.  Often he is the youngest attendee at the programs, sometimes by a span of sixty or seventy years if you overlook his parents, but he enjoys them still.  This is where he watched “Born Free,” where he sat enthralled as he listened to Michael Tougias tell of the tankers that ran aground, where he learned how to help the world one penguin at a time and this is where  history came alive for him with Beth Goldman.  This is where we have shared so many enlightening hours together.

     This is where we have travelled another road together, our homeschooling journey.  Where else would we be able to bring home stacks of books for free?  Or pay a little at the book sale, still a bargain even when you each fill up a box of your own?  How else could we have afforded all the field trips to the zoos and museums, if not for the library passes?  Where could we find all the information we need on a topic and personalized help if we can’t find it, along with advice and resources to broaden our quest?   There’s one place that fulfills all this and adds so much to our learning experience, our very own  library, complete with our helpful librarians.

     There are a few library moments I steal for myself now and then, a vegan cookbook, a good biography, even a movie sometimes, but mostly the focus is the journey with the boy.   Many nights I spend in the library after hours via my computer perusing all the books and resources available, carefully choosing the ones that interest us.  Then we excitedly wait for the email notification to pick them up, so we can hear a new story in the car on cd, listen in the house to the playaway, choose from the tall stack which book will be read at bedtime,  settle in on the couch to just look at pictures or decide if we have time to watch a movie tonight.

      The library is like a giant present that you love to open again and again, always finding something good inside.  This is why we like to spend time there, why it is one of my most visited websites, why I carry in my purse a duct tape wallet with a blue card inside it, why it feels like home.  This is why I love my library.

*Note:  Kathy won second place.  I would LOVE to hear the essay that beat this one.  Seriously, I would. It must be great!  Congratulations, Kath. We love you.


**Second Note:  For those of you living in the Quad Cities, please check out the website for Drew's Faithful Feet.  It is a 5k run/walk (plus activities for the kids!) being held in Geneseo this Saturday, May 12th.  The race is in memory of Drew Schaaf, who died accidentally at only 2 1/2 weeks old, and also Drew's younger brother Owen, who was stillborn.  If you are not busy this Saturday, please come out and support Drew's mom, Devon, in this beautiful tribute to her sons.  I will be there with my family!  (For more information, visit www.faithfulfeet.org) THIS is what community is all about!