I love libraries. As a kid my family would visit our small-town library frequently for story times, classes, visiting guests and of course: lots of books. Throughout college my favorite spot to study was our library on campus, and when I moved to Pittsburgh one of the first places I memorized the route to without my GPS was the library. Libraries have always been a comforting place for me, and many others!
Not only do I love libraries, but I love talking about them, too. Seriously, I could gush about my admiration for librarians and public libraries all day. We all know libraries are a great place for our literary needs, but I want to reiterate how incredible that really is! Public libraries allow you to consume your favorite books, movies, magazines and music in a way that’s economic, fulfilling for communities, and good for our planet. There aren’t many places we can connect, learn and relax without that place expecting something from us. You don’t even need a library card to use most (if not all) of the resources libraries offer.
Libraries have a huge impact on the communities we live in. This article, written by Jennifer Howard is a great glimpse into the significant role our libraries play.
This blog post is a love letter to libraries. I hope reading ahead will encourage you to stop by your local branch, or at least open your eyes to everything libraries have to offer!
Classes & Workshops
If you’re looking for something to do or learn, I highly recommend checking your local library for events! Events that I’ve attended (or have seen and been intrigued by!) include crochet / knitting classes, film discussion groups, book sales, armchair travel presentations, game nights, craft / art workshops and so so much more. These events are usually free of charge, or very low priced.
Book Clubs
I joined my first book club in January of this year, and I’m so glad I did! Book club week is my favorite week. I’m the type of person who wants to chat about what I’m reading, and I can’t express how much I value the engaging conversations I’ve had with my fellow book club members. This club has introduced me to new authors and genres I otherwise may not have picked up, and has given me a little literary community I get to see every month.
Libby App
The Libby App has been a GAME CHANGER for me. By connecting your library card, you can borrow audio and digital books in the same way you borrow other library materials! Plus, you can add multiple library cards - the more cards you have connected, the more library catalogs you’re searching, meaning your hold wait is usually shorter. Connecting digital books to my kindle has been super helpful and seamless for me, and audiobooks have helped me break through my reading dry spells, and are so convenient for multi-tasking.
Kidlit Research
A common piece of advice I’ve heard while on my kidlit journey is the importance of reading and consuming books created by others! I’ve found research like this to be super helpful for my own writing and illustrating practice, plus kid’s books are genuinely fun to look at and read. Being mindful and intentional while reading picture books has guided me to analyze composition, font choices, color palettes and so many more elements in my favorite and least favorite books.
My ideal library day includes pulling a large stack of books from the children’s section and slowly flipping through and reading each one, taking notes and photos along the way.
Some libraries may also offer publishing resources. For example, the Carnegie Main branch in Oakland, Pittsburgh has a copy of the International Literary Market Place, a giant book full of publishing information. This book costs nearly $600, I definitely wouldn’t have a chance to flip through it if it wasn’t for the library!
Books & So Much More
The items I shared above are just the beginning of what libraries offer their communities. Here are some additional resources I’ve seen at most libraries:
Printers / Scanners
Computers
Free Internet / Hotspots for Loan
Technology Classes
Resume / Career Guidance
Language Classes
Geneology & Local History
Community / Meeting Rooms
Video Games
Story Times
Maps
Sheet Music
And here are some less common resources I’ve seen available at select libraries:
Tools & Instruments for Loan
US Citizen Study Assistance
LinkedIn Learning
Food Pantries
Free / Discounted Museum Passes
Business Resources
Nonprofit Resources
How to Support Your Local Library
Visit Your Library
Visiting a library can be simple, it doesn’t have to be a huge event! Next time you’re driving or walking by your local branch, take 15 minutes to walk around briefly, check out the posters for upcoming events and roam the stacks. Just taking the time to show up can lead to you finding something that sparks your interest, or if nothing else, it can help you familiarize yourself with this corner of your community.
Appreciate Your Librarians
So many of the resources I listed above came from a librarian or library staff member, somewhere, thinking about what materials could help their community. Librarian’s help develop and organize events, host clubs, plan activities, maintain their branch’s collection, and stay diligent with literary & library news. And, of course, they help patrons check out and find books and other materials (a job that isn’t always easy!) Most librarians have a master's degree in library science (MLS), they’ve put in the time, effort and money to become the source of knowledge we know and love.
Use Their Resources
Librarian’s don’t go through the trouble of organizing events and obtaining materials for them to go unattended and unused! Utilizing your library’s materials is a great way to show how valuable they really are.
Spread the Word
Word of mouth is such an invaluable way to share what we love. When you visit a library, see something cool that your local branch is doing, or are excited for an upcoming event - tell the people in your life about it! Share it on social media, maybe even write a blog post to get the word out (wink wink).
Learn more about how you can support libraries.
Thank you so much for reading! 📖 I don’t even want to know how many times I typed the word library and love in this post. If you’ve visited your library and want to chat with someone about it, don’t hesitate to reach out to me here (comment below) or email me at laura [at] snailberryart.com.
Until next time,
Laura