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Dear Reader,
It's been a fun week celebrating National Library Week. I hope you have enjoyed our online celebration, but the party's not over yet, I have one more prize to offer.
If you work at a library (or retired from library service), enter to win today's drawing for a Yellow Library Card Zippered Carrying Pouch. To enter the giveaway, click here.
"Growing up we lived in a farming community. Our library was housed in a little storefront next door to the main grocery store, which was close to two miles away from our house. I saved my allowance to buy a basket for my bike. That allowed me to be able to bike to the library, borrow more than one book at a time. Reading from an early age allowed me to have adventures and to become aware of a world outside the small community I lived in. " -- Jan K.
"When I was 20, I went to France with a group from my university to study for six months. On our first weekend, my girlfriend du jour and I headed off to Paris to see the sites. After visiting the magnificent cathedral Sacre Coeur we wandered along a nearby street and came across a small parish church. Mass had ended, but the parish library had a table set up near the entrance. A book caught my girlfriend's eye just as the volunteer librarian was starting to pack up. When she asked if we would like to borrow it, we replied that we were studying some distance from Paris and might not be back soon. "Take it," she insisted. "You will return it someday. And would you like to come for a cup of tea? I live nearby." We gladly accepted both offers and thoroughly enjoyed our conversation in our halting French. I am not sure if my girlfriend ever read the book, but we did return it, and we never forgot how a librarian made us feel welcome in a new land." -- Tom G.
"So many memories, beginning with my then 4-year-old son (now 27!) walking to the local library with me to find a Red Cross Bloodmobile out front. It was sponsored by a motorcycle club, bearded, dressed in leather, whose members had to watch him while I donated inside. More recent, a scavenger hunt held throughout our county-wide library system that took me and my girls, who are in their 20's, on a journey to several neighboring libraries, historical sights, and creative events--what a great way to spend a weekend and learn about all the cool things our local libraries and community have to offer! Thank you for the opportunity to share these great memories!" -- Christy C.
"I don't have a specific, favorite library memory, but I do have a favorite library ritual. I'm a member of twelve library systems in Northern California (it's a long story), and each library has introduced a summer reading program for adults. So for the past couple of years, I've tried to participate in all of them! The activities keep me entertained, I can whittle down the TBR pile, and once in a blue moon I'll win a prize. Of course, my eyes resemble Kermit the Frog's once September rolls around, but somehow that feels like a small price to pay..." -- Elizabeth I.
"I absolutely cherish this time of year in which we get to celebrate our libraries. I still belong to the library district that I did as a child, and in fact, still use the library card with my childish attempt of a signature on the back. What better token history is there than my old, faded library card? Like a passport, it has stamps and stickers from nearly 30 years of reading challenges and author events. I always joke that I know two numbers by heart: my mother's phone number, and my library card account number. Thank you for your book club." -- Kelley S.
Thanks for reading with me. It's so good to read with friends.
Have a wonderful weekend,
Suzanne Beecher
[email protected]
P. S. In Monday's column, we'll hear back from Liz, the librarian, who's been trying to remember a favorite [Rat] book from childhood. Did readers' suggestions help her find the name of the book? We'll also post all this week's library giveaway winners.
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