A love letter to libraries
Photo by Max van den Oetelaar on Unsplash
Dear Libraries,
I have always loved you. You may think it is simply the smell of books that lures me in but there is so much more.
Even in my local government school library which had poor lighting and a limited selection of books, a sense of calm would wash over me the moment I entered. Walking up and down the aisles of books, wondering about the worlds inside each of those covers, about the made-up stories that transport us into other people’s lives. Shelves of possibility and escapism. A small part of me wondered if maybe one day I might also write a book that would sit on a library shelf.
When I moved onto university, the larger much-better-equipped campus library was where I studied in peace. I liked the quiet. It was also where I listened to missed lectures, long before the days of accessing recordings on phones or laptops. Being in the library reminded me of the immense opportunity there was to learn and discover.
I still dream of one day owning one of your old-school card catalogues.
When I married and started a family, I frequented our local libraries often. Fostering a love of books was vital, but having somewhere to take the children that was entertaining, wholesome and FREE was a big deal for me in the early days of parenting. We had limited disposable income and couldn’t afford to buy every book we wanted. There were also the gifts of adult company while my children joined Toddler Time, craft afternoons, school holiday programs and wet weather activities.
I have watched you nurture so many people over the years. You provide much more than books. A warm place to come in winter and a cool spot to rejuvenate in summer. You connect social groups and ensure people in the community feel they belong. Access to digital technology that some can’t afford to own is an important part of your service and you teach people new skills in an affordable way. Universal access to information, a space to rest our weary bones, a safe environment to just be without judgement or pressure to buy anything. You don’t care how we dress, what our jobs are or what level of education we have. You welcome us all.
And how can we mention libraries without talking about librarians? The superheroes who champion books, who love to connect readers with new authors, who support local creative talent and build confidence in all readers.
Seeing my own novels on your shelves has been an incredible buzz. Knowing that readers put my books on hold and wait patiently for their turn to read is an honour. Being invited to speak to library members about my path to publication and how important libraries have been in that process feels like a 360-degree moment. Perhaps this lifelong love of libraries is why I got myself a new business card just like an old-style library borrowing card.
Thank you for helping make me a reader and an author.
Love Kylie
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