In my childhood going to the library was a very big deal. We had books at home, but nothing like my collection is today. For my own children, before they got hooked on computers, the Library still played a significant role in their lives. For school projects, and resources it could not be beat! Now, everything is at our fingertips, thankfully, or sometimes, unfortunately, because of the internet. I will be a die hard lover of books in their original written form. I love holding a book, knowing that the author spent many hours pouring their thoughts onto the pages of my book. I respect books, and I always taught my children, and even my daycare children to respect them too. There is something very natural to me when walking into the Library. It feels like the building is asking you…What do you want to Know? It promotes learning, curiosity, imagination and a reverence for all those authors of our past and present.
Years ago, I asked my daycare parents if it was okay to take a few of the older kids to the library. I wanted to get the children their own card, and the parents told me, it would be their first trip. I picked a day, when I only had the three three and four year old. It was a great experience and to them, a great adventure! It just happened to be story time. Not just reading a book story-time, but TELLING a story. That woman captured those kids attention with her creative, enigmatic, animated and amazing story-telling skills! Not everyone can tell a great story, it is a true gift. I got to see their expressions filled with wonder and amazement, and that never gets old. It’s easy to read to a child, and I hope every parent does this at least once or twice everyday. It can open doors to their world we can’t even begin to realize until later. Knowledge is power, they say, then reading is like looking through the windows to the world.
When we can’t travel, we can read about as if we were there. What we dare to dream, we can read about others who have fulfilled theirs. When we need strength and stories that are like our struggles, we can read about those who overcame theirs. When we want to create and be innovative, we can read about inventions and imaginations of others that fueled ideas that are amazing! When we want to learn about other cultures and societies, we can read about how far apart we are, and yet how much the same we are too.
Libraries have programs and community resources that people don’t seem to know about today. It can be a refuge of hope and inspiration, like it was for me. Or a source of peace and quiet for a much needed break. It can open our minds and walk us through history from every nationality and ethnic origin. It is this huge house of books that enable all of us to look into the minds, hearts and souls of cherished writers and authors. It engages our children and ourselves to learn and explore and takes us on amazing adventures!
A Library is still a beautiful place to take the family, and reminds everyone, this was the beginning of the greatest collection of books.
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Article by Laurie Cesario-Overton
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