Let's Talk with Debra H. Goldstein
National Library Day
April 6, 2023
Let’s celebrate! Today is National Library Day, which is part of National Library Week. This week, especially today, is when, since its 1958’s inception by the American Library Association, we give special recognition to libraries and librarians. Personally, I appreciate libraries and librarians every day.
As a child, my mother took me to the library at least once a week. She never cared how many books I checked out because she knew each one would take me on an adventure and would broaden my horizon. Consequently, she and the local children’s librarian encouraged me to sample everything from pure fiction to biographies.
One of my favorite memories is of my library’s summer reading program. Over the course of eight weeks, we were supposed to travel around the world based upon the number of books we read. For my age group, I finished in three days – it would have been less, but my mother couldn’t take me back to the library until the third day from our initial visit. To keep me interested in the program, the librarian suggested we see how many times I could go around the world. Let’s put it this way, Jules Verne’s eighty days had nothing on my travels! And yes, I won the summer reader award.
Today, I recognize that libraries offer far more than books. They allow people to join together for meetings in safe community spaces, provide internet and computer sources for people who don’t have access, and are the repositories of local history.
Join me in celebrating National Library Day by raising a book, getting a library membership, donating books, or simply saying thank you to a librarian.
For the chance to win a free copy of FIVE BELLES TOO MANY, the most current Sarah Blair mystery, share your relationship with libraries in the comments.
While you’re here, check out our monthly contest. The winner gets his or her choice of one of the seven books featured! The entry period is from April 1-22. Multiple ways to enter too! CLICK HERE for the contest.
Would you like to know more about author Debra H. Goldstein? Visit her WEBSITE.
Posted in Let's Talk, with Debra H. Goldstein • Tags: Debra H Goldstein, Five Belles Too Many, Let's Talk, Librarian, National Library Day | 28 Comments
My mother was a librarian and read to me all the time when I was young. Sadly, I have no memories of those days, but I do have a love of libraries and certainly appreciate the work of the people who work in them. My wife also worked in a library for several years prior to Covid.
People who work in libraries are special people.
I have always loved libraries (and Bookmobiles!). So many treasures in one place. As a child with a nearly alphabetical list of childhood illnesses, books took me to so many places. I grew up in a family of readers, and seeing my parents and siblings reading for the fun of it made a huge hit with me. In this way I felt keenly part of the tribe. Oddly, I never read poetry until it was part of the school curriculum, but the lyricism of those words, the certain beat of some phrases caught my ear and my eyes. Truly, words, and the librarian purveyors of words, are magical!
Interesting that poetry came later to you. But, you were probably more ready for its meaning than I was Still, you got the magic of words and the doors they open via reading from an early age.
My dad was a voracious reader and frequently took the entire family to the Main Library in downtown Dayton, Ohio. We were able to check out as many books as we wanted. This started a life-long love of libraries for our family. Priceless!
That’s what is so great about libraries… no limits!
I love local libraries that have a more intimate atmosphere than big county branches. Here there’s one in Maitland that has interesting activities and a separate book sale room. Libraries are critical to a community for many reasons.
In many ways, they are the life blood of communities.
My first experience with librarians was through the book mobile that would come to the elementary school on our military base and how forward we all looked to it’s arrival. Then they later back not only my fun place to explore for a great read, but my research center for class projects when the card catalog and the Dewey Decimal System were to my age what the internet is to later generations. Although we live in a very little populated county, we do have a small public library that I still love to visit and explore. When I walk in, it always brings back to mind wonderful memories of years ago.
I loved the Dewey Decimal System —- it took me a bit of time to believe the internet could replace it.
First school trip was to the opening of the branch library when I was in the first grade. When I had finished reading the books I was interested on the children’s side, the children’s librarian would go over to the young adult/adult section to choose books and proceed to checkout with me.
Best of all, the library was a four block walk from home so
I was able to go as often as I liked.
What a great first field trip to remember….plus you reinforced it by the ease with which you could visit the library.
School libraries, county libraries, city libraries, I love them all! Every time we moved, one of the first things I did was get a new library card.
That card was probably a good common denominator between the places you lived.
When I was a child our local city library was right across the street from my grade school. So on Fridays I would go into the library and check out a stack of books for the week. In the summer I would still walk there at least once a week. I was never without reading material!
I didn’t live as close as you, but I was there weekly. Great to always have reading material.
Libraries were my favorite places as a child, and one of my best summers ever was when I joined a kids’ book discussion group. Only one issue — our library had something about the air quality (mold, old book smell, ink scent?) that always made me sick after a while. So I had to grab my books and run before I started feeling ill!
how sad about the mold or whatever, but at least it didn’t turn you off to libraries or books!
My Mom let me walk to our local library the summer that I was eight years old. This is when I fell in love with Nancy Drew! I wanted to grow up and be just like her…and I still do.
I think our moms always felt the library was safe and would open doors… as to wanting to be Nancy Drew, I’m sure you exhibit some of her characteristics from your reading and admiring her.
Growing up, the library was a bit of a walk. Since we could not go often, for my twin sister and me, the library was a magical place filled with adventure. Even today, when I go to our local library, I feel so happy.
Gosh, I have LOVED the library ever since I could walk into one. The atmosphere is wonderfully calm and the presence of all those books just make me giddy with pleasure.
I love libraries! When I was a kid in the summer, I would ride my stingray bicycle to the library and get my 7 alloted books for the week…and have them read by Tuesday! Then I had to wait till the next Saturday….
Hi, hope Everyone had a great Easter.
I must say that I love this site not just for the contests but for the authors too. I follow each of you and enjoy seeing what books you come out with next. Would really love to win, read and review all your books in print format.
Thank you
The only library I had close growing up was the school library. I definitely made use of it. Nancy Drew, The Babysitter’s Club, Andre Norton, Anne McCaffrey…I loved them all. And I remember checking out Little House on the Prairie books for my mom.
I don’t go to the public library much since I live in the county and the libraries are in the city. They make county residents pay yearly for a library card and I haven’t been able to afford it.
I hope everyone has a wonderful spring. Thanks for the chance to win.
Growing up, the library was one of my favorite places. The head librarian was my Girl Scout leader and her sister headed my Brownie troop.
I have lots of good memories of libraries. My grandmother lived closed to the library and our school was next door to the library so we spent a lot of time there. My Mom was a big reader so we would go to the library every week with her. We would also go to the library after school before taking the bus home. Libraries are so different than they were then.
Today I’m very lucky to live in an area where I can easily get to a number of village libraries and have my pick of the shelves. And I frequently do! But the library I feel most attached to was a small branch in my Manhattan neighborhood when I was growing up. The library entryway set the building apart from the rest of the commercial and apartment house doorways along the street. It was elegant, with an oversized bottle green door, bounded by two fluted pillars. Each time I entered, I felt like I was setting foot inside some magical kingdom (and I was). The reading world was my oyster! And there were pearls everywhere. So, while I enjoy going to my local libraries today, my feelings today don’t compare to my excitement then!