For the whole of my life I have been enthralled with libraries. I look forward to going to the library like some people do to the movies, to the mall, to a sporting event. I can spend hours in a library. I rent movies at the library. I love the children's section. I used to make copies there (until they removed the copier.) I check out so many items at once that I am almost never without a library fine and have probably paid a librarians salary for at least a full year if you total it all up. I love every library, but I love one above and beyond all the rest.
Ahhh, the Carl Sandburg Livonia Public Library. It's one of my very favorite places. It's not big, bright, or new. As libraries go it is rather small, dimly lit, and close. It was built in 1961 (this may be the beginnings of my fond feelings towards it.) I love the architecture of the building, it has a great mid century modern look. I also love the selection which seems tailor made to suit my tastes. It leans mostly towards English period dramas (both film and literature) and cozy mysteries. Though the catalog is comparatively small, I can almost always find some book or DVD that will make me want to cancel all activities that require anything more than my couch, pajamas, and a blanket. Everyone that works there is friendly and helpful. They never make me feel like a delinquent because of my overdue fines, even though when I log into my account it clearly states that I am delinquent (yes, it actually uses that word.) They even have fun events there, like the day I showed up and there was a wild animal handler who had brought many furry new woodland friends with him. And while it is not the closest library to me, in fact there are two in the city I live in, I never mind traveling the small distance further.
In recent years the Carl Sandburg branch has been forced to dramatically decrease their hours. They went from being open a full week to only 3 days (and not full days at that.) My fear is that some day the larger branch of the library in the same city will gobble it up. It's new, shinny, bright, efficient, and sprawling. To most people it would probably rank higher, but I miss the dim, the large old shelves that you easily get lost in, the feeling that only an older established building can have. This new library is a perfectly good library, it's just not my library.
I don't mean to go on and on waxing poetic, although I could. I just thought I would share a little piece of myself and introduce you to one of my happy places. :)
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