That’s right. Even though things have become increasingly easier to do at home without having to enter traditional public spaces, the public library remains alive and well.
After a year of being back in the city, I finally went to my local library branch and got myself a library card and a FREE book to read. In the ten minutes I spent at the branch, I learned that I could get free day passes for many local city attractions, borrow a countless number of eBooks, and even check out musical instruments.
Have an apartment with limited space or want to save money on books rather than just buying them and reading them once? A library card is a must. Even if you don’t use the library often, a card is (usually) free or low fee and the more people that have them, the higher the chance they’ll continue to receive funding. So, why not do your part?
I saw folks of all ages at the library that day. Some were printing things (because who really has a printer these days anyway?), others were meeting with their tutors, and others were using the Internet to apply for jobs.
As a child, the library was a staple of my weekends. I would go get books, movies, and play games on the computer. It was situated in the rec centre, so I would be able to play pool or foosball with my dad, go swimming, take dance classes, and attend events for kids in the community. I still remember when Flow 93.5 came to the rec centre as part of the Black History Month tour and had artists of all sorts–including steel pan players. No matter why I was at the rec centre, a visit to the library was a part of it.
When I moved towns as a teenager, I still went to the library often. I’d go there to study (and use the free Internet), get books and other articles for projects, and take free classes on how to do certain things with a computer.
In university, the library was still central to my identity. I went to the on-campus library to study and gather resources, and I’d go to the local public library to find copies of the classic novels we were studying in school to save money on textbooks.
Until I got myself a card last month, I didn’t realize how much I missed the library. It got me through a lot of different periods of my life, and it remained a constant fixture of the various communities that I’ve been a part of. I don’t think people my age spend enough time in libraries, and maybe that’s because it’s no longer a thing of necessity, but it was a relief to see that the system is still alive and well.
It’s a great way to meet people, get into your community, save money, and change up your routine. No matter your reason for going, keep the public library in your life.
Khadijah Plummer Consulting 