Jeri Smith-Ready

Hug your librarians today

Besides:

• If I really love a book I’ve borrowed, I’ll often buy it, usually from the independent bookstore across the street from the library (they’re small, but they’ll order anything), because God forbid I leave my Habitrail and actually DRIVE somewhere else.
• Checking out a book makes it more likely the librarians will order that author’s next book, or maybe even more copies of that current book. Well-read paperbacks get reordered when they fall apart.
• I tell everyone I know, including y'all, about books I’ve loved. See the sidebar for current reads, both of which are excellent.
• Having a deadline (due date) forces me to actually read the book instead of putting it on a shelf for "when I have free time," which always translates into "when I get my annual head cold."
  

If we don't patronize the public library system, our governments will be glad to spend the money elsewhere. Without libraries, literacy could become yet another privilege of the wealthy (like health care), further widening the gap between the rich and the poor.

We already pay for our libraries through our taxes, so we might as well use it. Last year, the retail value of the books I borrowed equaled our county tax payments. So the way I see it, I got a year’s worth of free fire department and police services.

I think "Get Free Cops" ought to be next year's National Library Week slogan.

• posted by Jeri @ 10:12 AM
• 10 comments