Your Local Library Is a Valuable Resource

October 7th, 2008

Photo credit: Celeste

Last week, as I enjoyed a nice, relaxing at-home vacation, I realized I couldn’t get any writing done with the distractions in my home. Between the TV, my daughter, the construction going on in my basement, and various chores waiting to be done at home, I couldn’t gather my thoughts long enough to get anything from my brain to the keyboard. I craved a quiet place where I could write in peace and really get some work done.

After trying to settle in at a local coffee shop and then a Panera Bread Co. restaurant, I realized that easy access to coffee and Wi-Fi didn’t necessarily guarantee a good work area. Then it dawned on me: the library! Nowhere could be quieter and I would have a ton of reference material at my disposal. It may lack the coffee, but I’m over-caffeinated anyway.

While I sat there enjoying my productive time at the library, I noticed a lot of things that I didn’t expect to see and some that I did, but exceeded my expectations.

Books

Of course, when mentioning the library, the first thing people think about is books. Obviously, a library has many books, but a modern library offers so much more than just old, discarded books. In fact, that they have recent and up-to-date books is one of the least advertised benefits in the library.

While searching for books on Amazon to purchase, I always look to my local library to “test drive” the books I’m interested in before sealing the deal. Often I will read enough from the checked out book to decide if it’s worth a purchase. Now, not all of the latest, brand-new books are on the shelves, but there’s usually enough to cover some of my wish list.

Online, Regional Catalog

Not only does my library have a catalog that tells you the status of all the books it carries, it also connects to a regional network and finds you the book you’re looking for anywhere within the network. Since the catalog is online, I can sit at home and reserve a copy of a book from a library in the next county and it will be ready for me to pick up at my home library in a day or two. The usefulness and availability of such a network is directly affected by the region you’re in, but it’s great to have access to so much more than your small local library.

CDs, DVDs and Books On Tape

I would have thought you crazy if you had told me you could drop your Blockbuster membership and replace it with the library - that is, until recently. Our library has a rack of CDs that rivals the offerings at the local Wal-Mart, a wall full of almost-new-release DVDs (seems to be only a year behind or so), and a whole section devoted to books on tape and CD. The library is so much more than a book warehouse; it’s now more like a mixed-media collection.

Computer Access and Laptop-Friendly Work Areas

My library isn’t that large, but they still found room to include four nearly-private desks for computers with internet access and six tables that can comfortably seat four people and power their laptop computers with on-table plugs. While I never leave home without a full battery charge on my laptop, any work session lasting more than 3 hours would leave me strapped for juice. Having power available at desk level reduces accidental unpluggings by someone walking by and prevents the unsightly view caused by carelessly bending over next to another keyboard jockey.

Free Wi-Fi

Free Wi-Fi is almost a cliché anymore, but I still find it a novelty. Offering free Wi-Fi in a coffee shop is good for business since you encourage people to sit and drink more coffee, but offering free Wi-Fi at a free, public library is purely a public service decision. Even though the connection certainly wasn’t as fast as some coffee shops’ offerings, the mere fact that they made it available to anyone who wanted was a huge plus in my book. Couple that with the laptop-friendly work areas and I could almost be convinced to make that my second office. (I’d just have to find some place to plug in my coffee maker!)

Local Artist Displays

I’ve never been a struggling artist, but it I do appreciate the hardships. Having one’s work displayed and appreciated goes a long way toward keeping up the motivation to work, especially when the same works can also be purchased on the spot. In the entrance to the library and scattered throughout were a variety of sculptures, paintings, and photos to decorate the facility. Each one was crafted by a local artist and many sported a small price tag in the corner. By purchasing a piece of art, you were helping fund the library and feed the artist - two worthy birds with one stone.

Story Time For Kids

Regardless of the extra services they choose to carry, libraries will always maintain the core mission of fostering and encouraging a love of reading. I was used to perusing the children’s book area for new stories to read with my daughter, but this week was the first time that I saw parents bringing in young children to be read to by a seasoned storyteller. If you’ve not heard a true storyteller carefully craft visions through intonation, pacing, and rhythm, you are missing out on a real classic treat.

Libraries Aren’t Just Buildings Full of Books Anymore

It’s disappointing to know our hard-earned tax dollars funding these under-utilized community resources. The dank old library with the shuffling octogenarian librarian are a thing of the past (mostly). Libraries are so much more than they used to be and are surprisingly far more accessible, too. Forget card catalogs, out-of-date encyclopedias, and limited selections; the modern library is a valuable resource waiting for you to discover its variety of offerings.