My Library Experiment, Week One

I’m trying something new this week. It seems a bit ridiculous to me as well as extreme, but if it works, I will love it. It is the second day that I’ve packed up my “stuff” and set up to write at the local library.

Home is just so cozy and delicious. Food and beverage, fireplace, books, garden, friends…not to mention countless, non-writing-related tasks to take care of. You know, like laundry.

So yesterday, I stuffed my laptop, a spiral notebook, and my writing day planner into a tote. But I wanted both water and coffee. I couldn't put those with my laptop. Does the library even allow coffee? I decided it wasn’t an option. I put both the travel mug and travel cup into my purse, along with a small square of chocolate. I knew I’d get hungry, but I was already running late.

I’ve not spent much time at this fairly new, extremely efficient neighborhood library. It’s about five minutes from our house in low traffic. I had to ask a few questions before finding the study area. It was SO QUIET! I might not speak loudly, but I am otherwise impressively noisy. Everything I did seemed to echo – unzipping my bag, setting my beverages on the table, arranging my laptop and its charger. I even peeked around wondering if a librarian would approach and ask me to please settle down.

And the librarians! The ones in this little library are at least a couple decades younger than me. They patrol, put books away, and are frequently at their computers. What are they all doing, I wonder? Some research, sure, but what else? Hmm? It fascinates me. I’ve always thought I would enjoy being a librarian. Much as I love the outdoors, I find great libraries, churches, and museums restorative in a different sort of way.

Of course, I felt hungry early on. I ate my one chocolate in the first hour, drank my coffee, sipped some water, and well, after all that, I had to take a little break. Once I was in front of my computer again, I put my head down and worked for almost three hours. Then a new noise disrupted the quiet. My stomach began growling.

I tried to ignore it and worked for another 45 minutes. But I was distracted. My daughter-in-heart had given us some of her fabulous chicken tacos the night before and I knew there was still one waiting for me at home. On my way out of the library, I stopped by the front desk, interrupting the young librarian.

“Can we…we’re not allowed to eat in here, are we?” 

What did I expect her to say? I knew the answer.

She looked apologetic. “Not inside, but we have a little courtyard outside with seating.”

Right.

Today, I wanted to bring a peanut butter sandwich but again ran out of time. I have another chocolate square, a Kind bar, and a banana stuffed in my purse. I do not doubt that I will make an inordinate amount of noise unwrapping the sticky Kind bar. They'll probably throw me out. I wonder if I can eat a banana in here without anyone noticing? If I didn’t like the windows so much, I’d sit in a cubby. Surely no one would catch me there!

But some writing will get done. Some, as you see, already has. :)

Here's to a week of productivity and more!