It has been quite some time since I’ve perused the books at the Winnipeg public library. The past few months any books I’ve read from the library were requested online. What that means is all I have to do is step into the library wander the kids section for a few minutes while my youngest picks out a few books and check out.
I’ve also been reading less than usual I think in part because I haven’t been perusing the shelves and finding new authors and new books to read. So while I love the convenience of a simple pick up and drop off I’m missing out on something more.
There are of course a few other reasons I’ve been reading less, primarily a lack of time but also because I am still in the process of reading the Harry Potter series to both girls. While I read at a rather quick pace alone reading aloud takes much more time.
When we first became interested in this series I read all 7 books in a two week period. Aloud I’ve been reading a chapter every day I’m able to and it’s been about 9 months now. We are now only half way through book 6.
Hrmm got a little off track there….where was I ..…ahh the library and lack of time spent.
I realized how much I enjoy wandering the shelves this past weekend as the millennium library opened a new park area and we as a family decided to go take a look. It was a gorgeous weekend with a short respite from the cool fall days we’ve been having and it was quite nice to walk through.
After checking out the new park area we spent a fairly good chunk of time wandering the library itself and as I walked down aisles a book jacket catching my eye here and there. I began to realize that I rather missed the time lovingly spent picking books.
I love everything about the library, the smell of books the general air of calm and quiet. It seems to me that libraries represent the very best of humankind. They represent our quest for knowledge, our love of imagination and even a bit of magic.
Libraries have held a special place in my heart since I first began reading and I think I’d forgotten a bit of that. They are a place in which I feel a sense of peaceful solitude and a reverence in the world at large, you can after all you can go anywhere in a book.
