Tuesday 10 July 2012

Quiet please

I’ve found Number 13 – A Library.
13 library
I had a look at the local library in town as I drove past it a couple of days ago and it’s very uninspiring, and then I had a brainwave.  Where do I work?  A school.  Where do students go to borrow books?  The library.  It was just a few steps down the hall from my office all this time and I hadn’t thought to use it.  Now, the only problem is that because this library is in a school, there are always students using it and data protection means that I can’t take a photo that shows a student.  So, I’ve had to make do with a  book display on the Olympics (very topical) which is just inside the foyer.  You’ll just have to believe me that it is in the entrance to the library! 
When I was little I used to love the idea of working in a library.  I loved the little brown card pockets that they would put the library card into, but most of all I loved that stamp they used to print the date that you had to return the book on the front sheet.  Of course, this is now showing my age, when I last went to the public library it was very high tech.  Not to mention ‘do it yourself’.  You scanned your bar code on the book, pressed a button to say if you were taking the book out or returning it, things flashed up on screens, machines bleeped and you’re good to go.  Walking through a security gate that would pick up if you were trying to escape with an unscanned book.  The atmosphere in libraries is different too.  Gone are the days of silence.  Just a feeling of people browsing, and relaxing, and discovering.  Our school librarian says that most of the many girls who have joined her after school book club come mainly for the chocolate chip cookies and orange squash, but I beg to differ.  They’re there to discover the absolute pleasure of absorbing yourself into a book.  Of discovering new worlds of imagination.  Of knowing that if you have a good book in your hand, you’ll never  be bored.  The choc chip cookie is just an added bonus. 

10 comments:

Cheri said...

I used to work in the library in both Jr. High and High School! I did check books out with the cards and stamp and I spent a lot of time sorting and shelving books and loved it.

Scrappi Sandi said...

Many a Saturday morning was spent in the library for me as a child & I always had half a dozen books checked out at any one time! As a teen I discovered the pull of the paperback & my visits dwindled...but as an adult I once again embraced the library! Of course now I have a kindle, my visits are purely for reference books....or to meet up with frends for a coffee...our local library has a great coffee shop!! Must remember my camera tomorrow morning so I can tick off #13 too!! TFS :D

Denise said...

You're steaming ahead with these! - hope you're continuing to feel better,loving the scavenger pics x x

boysmum2 said...

My clothesline picture was my own in the back garden. I kep forgetting to look close to home for some of these items!

Maria Ontiveros said...

I love this post. I have really fond memories of visiting the library as a child. I think I'll take some pictures and use it as the basis for next story telling Sunday.
Rinda

Abi said...

This is a great find! I had the same problem working in a prep school, I couldn't take any photos with the children in. I love the library. I still visit my local one often, me and mum are frequent visitors!

Irene said...

Brilliant you remembered the library on your own doorstep, so to speak. I can smell all those cards and stamps you mention. It was always fun to see how popular a book was and when it had last been taken out.

Alison said...

If I hadn't become a teacher, Being a Librarian was my next choice!
Alison xx

Sandie said...

I love libraries, and the fact our village still as a mobile library. I took a photo of that the other day. Didn't think of the scavenger hunt at the time!

Sian said...

I was very disappointed when I finally achieved my dream of working in a library and discovered that they didn't stamp books anymore..