Today Tammy and I took Harper to the library's temporary location in the Fort Henry Mall; the Kingsport public library is undergoing a two year renovation. We were curious to see how they were set up and there was a book I needed. I ended up getting several books and utilized the amazing free Interlibrary loan system to get a book they didn't have. Harper found a few books herself and she played in the children's area for quite some time.
It sounds nerdy to get excited about such an outing, but we were. It occurred to me while we spent time there how underutilized this free treasure is, besides their endless access to unlimited books the library provides all sorts of activities and resources. We treat the library like it is optional, mediocre, and boring, it's like Mom's meatloaf that no one misses it until she dies while we treat the internet, Cable TV, and Video games like a 3 Star Micheline restaurant. If I think about it too long, it makes me sad.
What's wrong with forsaking the library, what's the danger in this self-sabotaging decision? We risk allowing our brains to atrophy, we forfeit opportunities to expand and enhance our lives, we miss out on the endless supply of books that can improve our lives and instruct us on any topic or subject we are interested in, we shortchange satisfaction, and we take for granted one of the greatest resources available to civilization that's absolutely free to use!
Sure bookstores are amazing portals into the realm of knowledge and I love a good used bookstore as much as the next person, but there is no substitute for the Public library. Librarians are the greatest unsung hero of the day who experience the deepest lack of appreciation of any servants of the community, but it's not their fault. Sadly our culture has drifted away from the love of reading, which is a reflection of how little we value our personal growth and development.
To me, the public library is a mystical temple where learning, growth and development are all connected as our mind experiences an adventure in an intellectual odyssey. Our imagination is fed along with our intellect as well, and it is our no-cost cultural treasure. It would be a shame to treat the library as if it were as disposable as trash, do yourself a favor and go more often.
