Letter #53: On Libraries

Do I talk about libraries enough? I don't think so

May 18, 2025

Note: Apparently I wrote this back in April a few years for National Library Week and didn’t post this, so here ya go. The thoughts are still the same and in the same spirit.

Dear reader,

As my “to be read/want to read” pile continues to grow, I keep thinking about libraries and reading in general.

There are a few things I am certain of in life, one of them being that there will never be a shortage of good things to read. No matter what is going on, someone will always be writing more. There will always be books and comics and cookbooks and newsletters and dictionaries and tales I haven’t read. And that idea is both exciting and disheartening, depending on how you look at it.

On one hand, I’ll never run out of information to learn or words to absorb. On the other, it’s like I’ll always be playing catch-up with all those words. There are simply too many things to read (not even “too many books, too little time!” but “too many words, too little time!”) to read all in one lifetime.

Libraries and Reading

I will always preach the good word of libraries. As Albert Einstein so rightly stated, “The only thing that you absolutely have to know, is the location of the library.”

Library Sounds

Even to this day, I will admit that one of my favorite sounds is that of the old printer receipt machines from the library I went to as kid. That eh-roo-eh-roo mechanical sound as the system cranked the receipt onto that weird, semi-gloss paper.

Also to this day, I dislike the odd film that thin paper leaves on my hands, as with every other kind of receipt. I recall someone telling me that that film is some not-good chemical I have yet to look up because I don’t think I want to know what that filmy feeling is.

The receipt machine at my current library doesn’t make that sound, which slightly saddens me, but we live in a very digital and different age after like fifteen years.

I adore my local public library that I’ve been visiting for the last few years. It’s cute, a little dated, quiet, and full of lovely books and displays.

Library Routes

Part of the reason my TBR pile grows is because I only sometimes get those specific books on my list at the library; most times I just go in blind and grab anything that catches my eye. It’s more of a happy accident when I actually find one of the books I wanted to read. I find this blind-date-esque method opens me up to more stuff I may not have read about online, so I find even more things!

Anybody have any plans of action when you step into a library? The first section you go to? Do you map it out like kids mapping out their neighborhood on Halloween night to maximize the candy haul?

Some Reasons Why Libraries Rock

Obviously you can check out books for free, but what else is so cool about libraries? So many things!

1. Online Materials

Even before (but especially after) the pandemic, libraries have been increasingly starting to also have online materials, where you can read books for free on sites like Libby, hoopla, or Library Pass with your library card number.

This means you don’t even have to go pick books up from the library to read them! This service can be particularly helpful for those without reliable transportation, difficult mobility, or who simply just want to stay home.

2. It’s Not Just Books

It’s not just books, but movies and shows on DVDs, CDs, and so much more. Some libraries even have maker spaces, where you can have access to the library’s 3D printer and other gadgets.

In some cases, you can also take home baking equipment or power tools. It’s the same concept as taking books home; you still have the resource even if you can’t afford it at the time or if you would only use the tool for one project. You borrow it for the allotted days, like a library book, then return it, like a library book.

I went to one of these spaces with a friend who even rented out some novelty-shaped baking pans before we admired the motorized saws and whatnot.

3. Community Events

There are all kinds of events, like free classes, kids’ activities, group meetings, author events, and craft meet-ups. I’ve attended several great Zoom events for musical performances and yoga classes through the library, along with an in-person author signing!

Some libraries also host crafting events where you can design and make ornaments or other designs at the library.

4. Free, Welcoming Place to Be

They’re a great place to hang out quietly and peacefully. Need to study? Need a quiet place to read? Need to research? Need a computer? Need wifi?

The library usually has this covered.

Quote of the Week:

“They say in every library, there is a single book that can answer the question that burns like a fire in the mind.”

-Dashiell Qwerty, Who Could That Be at This Hour? by Lemony Snicket

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