Public Libraries

When my children were younger, summer started with a visit to our local library. Both of my daughters had their own library cards. They would each get a bag of books and spend long summer days on our screened porch, escaping to far away places with their imaginations.

Library books accompanied us on vacations, to the pool, on picnics and in our backyard. Those books coexisted with swim lessons, cookouts, fireworks and sleepovers.

Looking back, I can't imagine summers without our library. We made several visits throughout the summer break, taking advantage of what that big, old building had to offer our community. I was always surprised when I learned of someone who had never stepped inside its doors. What a loss to them!

Even though technology has changed the way we read books today, a visit to the library is still a treat for me and brings back warm memories of when my children were little.

Public libraries are nice introductions to the world of books for children. They help establish a foundation in reading and a lifelong passion for it.