xx why I love libraries xx

This morning was the first time in years that I’ve actually been to the library all by myself. Usually I have kids in tow and their attention span (and that of those trying to study, read and thereby obey the ‘shhh’ signs placed about) only allots me a few minutes on the upper floors.

I always have a list with the exact books, exact locations and exact call numbers on a piece of paper even before we leave our house. It’s a rush to grab the books I want and then a rush down the lift to the basement where all the kids books are.

Now, I love kid’s books, so it’s not every visit that I venture upstairs, but I do on the odd occasion wish to borrow a book on writing craft or an actual work of fiction intended for my age group.

So, today was a rare occasion that I savored every moment of. Even if I did still spend three quarters of my time in the kid’s section, I enjoyed the freedom to linger upstairs.

But, why I love libraries is not only because of the nostalgic feelings they evoke every time I step through their doors, or the memories of summer reading competitions and the collection of pencils I’d have at the end of the summer from my summer reads (now, I have GoodRead.com to track all of that). I love having a time frame. I work best under pressure and reading is no exception.

I know I have exactly two weeks to finish the pile I amass. My allotment has gone up from 6 to 12 this month and I don’t think that is a good thing. 

One of my New Year’s Resolutions was to read only two books a week, and this isn’t because I was trying to challenge myself. I did this to slow myself down.

I read an average of four books a week, so my resolution was to stop obsessing over books and relax a little, but when I saw the number 12 pop up on the book scanner, well… I’d already grabbed two extra and hid them in the pile I’d made for my oldest daughter and then well… Dannette Haworth’s newest book was jumping up and down on the shelf of new releases… What was I supposed to do?

So, I may have come home with a few more books than I intended and I have exactly two weeks to finish them, so no more time to blog, gotta read.