JENN McKINLAY: I remember my very first library card. I was nine-years-old. It was from the East Lyme Public Library in Connecticut and it was the only card I had in my little brown wallet for YEARS. I thought it was my first step into adulthood. No more checking materials out on my mom's card! Hey, I was a kid. I had no idea what adulthood actually entailed. Oy.
Now, in this weird age of book banning and personal attacks on librarians, I realize how critical having a library card is.
Let's look at some of the perks:
FREE BOOKS AND EBOOKS - Yes, free, free, free!
ACCESS TO TECHNOLOGY - The Internet, databases, printers, copiers, 3D printers, maker spaces, and more!
QUIET ROOMS - I wrote many a book tucked away in a quiet room at the library.
FREE PROGRAMS - Concerts, cooking classes, computer classes, passes to local museums, etc!
SUPPORTS FREEDOM OF INFORMATION FOR ALL - A world without libraries is a very grim world indeed.
Libraries are not just about borrowing the latest novels, getting recipes from cookbooks, or taking your kids to story time, they are a place to exercise your right to information. All the information!
As a former librarian, even if you're not a regular library user, I implore you to get to your local library and sign up for a card. That's the assignment and you have the entire month of September to get it done!
Now, do tell, Reds and Readers, who has a library card? From where? And how many of you have more than one? (I have four)!
