Do you know your librarians by name?
Do your librarians know your name?
When we told the kids we were moving my daughter sobbed. THe only thing that cheered her up was finding out the the city we were moving to had 30 branches of the library.
Thirty - she could barely fathom it.
THen the questions;
"Does that mean we have 30 library cards?"
no honey, just one
"ONE card works for all 30 libraries?!"
"How do I get a card"
you have to prove you live in the city
"How?"
you give them your new address
"Then the librarian comes to your house to make sure you really live there?"
no, not quite. you just show them a hydro bill or something.
YOu know sweetie, they aren't going ot know us by name the way they do now. It is different in the city...
The potential of 30 branches out weighed the possibility of an impersonal library for her. I am not convinced yet.
Our librarians did know us by name. They knew what sort of books my kids liked, even what their favorite colours were. They asked how we had spent the weekend were excted to see us back after we went on holiday. My children's art was up on the walls.They let me know when books were added to the used book sale and they didn't need to ask for our card number for renewals.
We have now traded personal interaction for the convenience of self checkout.
If you are blessed to know your librarians, how many kids they have, what they like to read - appriciated it!
Make a point of bringing them cookies, flowers, home made thank you cards. You may even get your own thankyou are back from them (after you move and have to pay your overdue fines ;) ) that says you were one of their favorite families. Isn't it wonderful when the feeling is mutual.
I want to close with a little ditty my 7 year old daughter wrote about books ;
Books are wonderful
Some books are exciting and some books are sad.
Some books are happy.
There are lots of books in the world so....pick a book and read.
Books are a big part of my life.
They are fun.
I love books.
and if you are looking for some new titles to read to your little ones, here are a few of our favorites - go find them at your library!
The Biggest Bed in the World
Rattlebang Picnic
How to Make and Apple Pie and See the World
(and I have hundreds more suggestions if you need any...)
2 comments:
Ya never know. Visit one branch long enough... might happen.
We don't know ours by name or vice versa and we are dealing with one branch of a very busy public library. (They are putting a satellite on our end of town though!) However, I think they've figured out that we're regulars.
omg you should have heard the kids squeal when I said we were going to the library - our first in a long time being that we stopped before the move about a month in advance. they were thrilled. me? i came home with like a dozen home decorating books.
If you attend the children's activities they have (storytime etc), they get to know you pretty well. Although with the automated check-out machines, it may become a novelty to speak to the librarians behind the counter!
Sue
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