Our library is wonderful, and every time I go there, I’m impressed.
Today, I feel no need to own a book. I used to. I used to think I had to have a library in the home. Buying books was such fun. Scouring book stores, both new and used was great fun.
Books seemed to be in some fashion exempt from the “too much” zone. Did anyone really have too many books? We didn’t call it hoarding, we call it our personal library.
Of course we had to have resources for our profession. The training room on Bowen Island was well stocked with hundreds of Tai Chi and Qigong books. It was my work after all. A student of any concern would do the same.
Up stairs I kept books on spinning wool, making glass beads, writing and education.
When it came time to cull them — it was hard. I had a lot of memories and lessons wrapped up in those books.
I still have a few book shelves that are treasure books. I keep books written by friends. I also have a few of my favourite tai chi and qigong books, I have some cook books, as well as some books on how to learn. Every book I still have, has a personal memory or occasion attached to it.
I own no novels and these days, and they are the only books I read. If by chance I do buy a book, it comes from a yard sale, and I won’t pay more than 50¢ for it. As soon as they’ve been read — they are out the door. We can easily donate them to the senior centre or to the library for their book sale.
Today, I get all the books I read from our library. It is a fine library and easy to mull around in. The people who work there are wonderful and so very helpful. If they don’t have a book I’m looking for in the stacks, they have a province wide exchange that they tap into.
One book I wanted came in from Fort Saint James! You would think Vancouver would have everything — but nope — had to go to Fort Saint James for it, and they did so gladly! The postage alone would have been a big deal, not to mention all the people involved in finding it and boxing it up, and sending it on — just for me! Just because I said I was interested in it. No questions were asked. I didn’t have to fill out any paper work or give a reason, or justify my desire. for all they know, I didn’t even have to read it.
How great is that? Really!
Yesterday, I was looking for a book that had been recommend to me. Not finding it in the stacks, I checked throughout the Province wide system. Nope. Hmmmm.
The head librarian came to help. “Hmmmmm…” she said as she scanned the computer. Then, she smiled and said, “No problem. We’ll buy it!” She said they would call me when it arrives.
Amazon has nothing on our library!
I have several friends who are librarians. Today I salute them. They are some of the best people in the world, doing some of the best work there is.
There are a million ways to spend your money, and as we enter the holiday season, a lot of folks will have their hand out. May I suggest we don’t forget to support our local libraries, when we start doling out our cash.
What a resource! What a gift.
We have several “Little Free Libraries” in Witehorse, and one in my neighborhood. They are little enclosed book shelves that are located in neighborhoods, and stocked by locals. If you have a book to donate, you walk over and put it in there. If you are looking for something to read, you go look there. I have pulled many a book from one of these, and it’s a great way to recycle your reading material and pick up something that might surprise you. They are all built by community indiiduals (like Ken, for example), usually raised up above the ground by a pole, and add to the friendly feeling of the neighborhood. I love books too, and have my favorites, usually with marginalia and/or dog-eared pages, and I have stopped adding anything to my bookshelves too.
Yes, we love these roadside book stops. Sechelt has a few. See my September 9th post. for a pic from Haida Gwaii.