My Addiction: Libraries

A move always means adjustments. And no matter how often you move, those adjustments don’t come easy. But some are wonderful.

I still think Connecticut has the best library system of any of the places I live. I mean, who can beat having one card that gets you into any library in the state? But Minnesota is a close second. I can’t get into any library in the state, but I can get into 32 of them. Even better, all 32 come to me.

I can get on the Great River Library System’s website (thus named for the Mississippi River which I cross at least twice a week going to and from church), put any book I want on hold and it gets delivered to my local library which is not even a half mile down the street from my apartment. Can’t get much better than that!

In fact, I get carried away. I have several lists under my account number on the website: DVDs, mysteries, children’s book and a “catch all”. I don’t know how many items are on them – 100 or so I guess. For if I find anything I’ve wanted to read or watch, I put it on a list. And when I’m ready to have it delivered to me, I put it on reserve. Depending on what number I am in line, I’ll have it in a couple of days.

So, the other day I was looking for some picture books to give me new ideas for birthday presents. I had a long list from a particular book publisher which publishes mostly good books. As I looked them up on the library’s website, I couldn’t help myself. I put six to eight on hold in a matter of moments. I had to hold myself back from putting them all on hold, putting the rest on a list for later. This past Wednesday, as I was off from work, I walked down to the library and picked them all up – lugging back a pile of maybe ten books. It was just like I always dreamed – living so close to a library I could walk there and lug home books. A childhood dream it took three decades to accomplish – like most things in my life.

So, it would seem I don’t actually have to go to a library to take home much more than I can read in three weeks. But there are certainly worse addictions than that.