In front of the Fairfax Public Library

I can comfortably say that books quite literally saved my sanity growing up.   And no matter where I’ve lived in my 35 years, the library has been a significant place in my life. Whether I am searching for the latest fiction or the classic I’ve been meaning to read, whether I am looking for information to gain additional knowledge or to prove someone wrong, the library is where I go first.  If I needed to escape the madness of my childhood home, I would head to the library and lose myself for hours.  After all, no one would tell me I could not go to the library and study!

Now that I’m an adult (sort of) with my own child, I try to teach her about the wonder and knowledge held between the pages of a really good book.   And nothing makes me happier to see her curled up in a comfortable chair trying on a new topic or subject in a book that she would never purchase in a bookstore but can read about for free here at her local library.

Knowledge is my religion and the library is my church.  I go when I need to get away from it all, when I need a little peace and quiet or when I need to figure something out.   Occasionally, I’ll head in there, find a comfy corner and just think.    While it’s mostly about the books, it’s not always about the books.   Unfortunately, due to ongoing budget cuts, I can no longer go to the library and get all the answers I’m looking for in the tomes provided.   Many of the reference books available are horribly out-of-date.

That said, the incessant noise of the local Barnes and Noble or Borders does not provide the solace I require.   And while I can sit and read in the bookstore, it is not the same.  Too often I’m too busy dodging screaming kids and people on cell phones.  And nothing rips you out of a book like the occasional stroller banging into my knees.   So I can’t really get into the proper mindset to really concentrate and therefore, enjoy what I’m reading.    So, I start at the library and often end up trudging home to seek out more up-to-date information on the World Wide Web.     And while the Internet is faster, quicker, more eco-friendly and probably more user-friendly, for me nothing beats the aesthetic and tactile value of a book.

Library budget cuts are occurring all over the country.   If you live in Fairfax County, please read about the proposed library budget cuts and sign the petition.    Or Google (or Yahoo or Bing) your county and “library budget cuts” and see if there are proposed cuts in your area.   Be a library advocate and contact your local elected officials.