Benjamin Franklin sure had a great idea when he started lending books. It’s understandable that some books need to be purchased as they are used over and over again (I love cookbooks!) Some books can be just for fun and one time only. I grew up when the library in Columbus, Ohio had bookmobiles in the summer months. We were a one car family with my Dad going to work, so it was perfect for our family as we were nowhere close to a bus stop. Reading has always been a passion.
Our local library was not very close but our schools had great libraries. In high school, the gang would meet to study (remember when Google wasn’t around and we had to look up things in encyclopedias?) and do homework together. With a bit of boy watching tossed in.
The library in Oregon is super. One whole floor is for kids with lots of scheduled activities. We borrowed baby music and children’s books on tape when our kidlet was little. Then movies. We would borrow books on CD for road trips. They even had art work you could borrow! The other two floors kept me busy for 30 years. I loved when the new best sellers came to the library as our location had several copies you could rent if you didn’t want to be on the long sign up sheet. Twenty-five cents a day was worth it!
I did cave in and get a Kindle when I started traveling. There was not enough luggage space for more than a couple of paperback books. In some countries it wasn’t convenient to find books in English. So I got to splurge and buy a few electronic books for the road. My daughter just started reading again and since I inherited Mr. Ralph’s iPad, I gave her my Kindle ... with access to my books. She actually loves Jodi Piccoult books also!
Unfortunately, my Maui library isn’t something I am proud of. It is always understaffed. They are open minimal hours and rarely in the evening. It is underfunded so they are closed one day a week and it changes so you need some good luck. The building and furniture is very worn (and dirty). They do have a few computers to share but no free wifi. It is very, very small (although they can get books from other libraries in the State). So it seems I am doing more reading on my device than with nice papery pages in hand.
I kinda miss that.
Before my husband had his stroke I was in the library twice a week. Then I didn't read for a few years and when I went back to it, I just bought books online. I love my Kindle but I don't read exclusively in that format. Yesterday I got a new library card so I can start borrowing books on my Kindle. There are online places where you can borrow books, too, but I haven't checked them out yet. I read the New York Times on my Kindle every night. Magazines are available too.
ReplyDeleteI remember the bookmobiles, too. They went with budget cuts a long time ago, but my niece, a reading teacher, took it upon herself to turn her car into a bookmobile for her school district. And she uses her own collection of children's books to do it. Judging by her bookmobile's Facebook page, they are just as popular now as in our day.
I also get magazines! When we were snowbirds between Oregon and Maui, it was the best way to have regular delivery. Otherwise it would take a month to change addresses.
ReplyDeleteI don't subscribe to any newspaper. So I need to visit the library to read the local news! The Maui News no longer offers free online version (and want $12/month for the online version). I do subscribe to the Honolulu online newspaper ... but it's just not local.