"Say it reader. Say the word 'quest' out loud. It is an extraordinary word, isn't it? So small and yet so full of wonder, so full of hope." ~Kate DiCamillo
Wherever we journey, we love to check out the local public library. Although each library is unique, we know that we can expect a thriving hub of community activity and information.
The most obvious reason that libraries are awesome is because they store books. A fun fact is that the term "bookworm" was originally used as an insult because the person who loved to read would waste precious time and candles to do so. Fortunately, the virtues of reading are now more widely recognized, and modern conveniences allow for what used to be considered idle time to be spent with a good book or online article.
We know that libraries are devoted to circulating books, but they do a lot more than this. On our travels, we frequently find the local library because we know that it will offer a comfortable workspace. They are also a good place to catch up on the current news with a selection of newspapers and magazines. It was at the library in Avalon, NJ, that we learned about Maggie Smith's death (our family loved her as Professor McGonagall in the Harry Potter movies).
When we visited our niece in Nashville, TN, she suggested the library parking garage as an affordable place to park. We looked at this as a two-for-one bonus: parking and book access! The Nashville Public Library was one of the loveliest that we have seen, and it included an homage to other urban libraries along the ceiling of the reading room.
Some libraries, like museums, also house and exhibit artifacts; in Nashville, there was a beautifully curated exhibit of children's illustrated books, some rare. In the Cape May library, a section is devoted to honoring the school that was repurposed to house the library and revitalize the area, only blocks away from the beach.
Most recently, we discovered the Guthrie Memorial Library in Hanover, PA and the Ephrata Public Library on our travels to Codorus State Park and the Ephrata Rec Center.
Wherever we roam, it holds true that there is no place like home. Our current home library is the Fredricksen Library in Camp Hill, PA. (In his role as commissioner, Dean has been able to advocate for funding this library, which is in our township.) When we are there, we check out the events calendar as well as the bulletin boards, which hold local event flyers and resources. And this month, we just happen to appear on that event calendar for our Cheers to Duets program!
in love and peace, xoxo ~ Vicki and Dean
