This blog chronicles my life as I try to balance healthy lifestyle habits with my husband's penchant for pizza rolls and my daughter's desire to watch iCarly 8 hours a day. It contains a mostly humorous, kind, and somewhat spiritual look at everyday life and the people who live it.

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Grace #23: The Library

Of all the wonderful things that moving into our new house has brought to us one of the best has to be the return of our library privileges. The town in which we used to reside had so mismanaged their money that they had to close the library. The other local libraries decided that if our library couldn't reciprocate borrowing privileges then they didn't want our business. It was a sad, sad day for me when I could no longer borrow books from the library.

Luckily my friend Debbie stepped in and supplemented my Barnes&Noble purchases with boxloads of books sent every couple of months. I looked forward to those shipments like a starving man looks at a tuna sandwich!

My last book purchase was Janet Evanovich's Finger Lickin' Fifteen. I have long been a fan of Janet's but I looked forward to this book release with mixed feelings: her last 3 books had disappointed me and while I didn't want to not read the book, I wasn't sure I wanted to buy it. Finally, just days before my library privileges would resume, I couldn't wait any longer and I bought the book. I justified the purchase by telling myself that the library would probably have a waiting list several months long and I couldn't wait that long. Imagine my surprise when I walked into the library and there were several copies Finger Lickin' Fifteen available!

Ah well, I had already read the book by then and while it didn't blow me away with its depth, humor, and well-crafted plot, it did have its moments and I'm glad I own it.

But back to the library, you may be wondering how a public service that receives funds from the state can blacklist an entire town. Well, I never thought it was all that fair either but let me tell you, those old biddies behind that desk can be downright intimidating when they look over those glasses-on-a-chain-pushed-down-on-their-noses and I never had the courage to buck the system and demand book borrowing privileges. Besides, what does it say about a town that is so mismanaged they can't even keep open a library? Not a town I'd want to live in and I'm glad we moved.

I love books. I love bookstores. However financial and space limitations conspire to keep me from owning every book I wish to read so when push comes to shove (I love that expression, I don't know why) I love libraries.

4 comments:

K said...

Hey - I am reading The Thirteenth Tale by Setterfield I have not completed it yet but I do not see it going wrong at the end
I like it so far

Beth said...

I just finished reading the 19th Wife...oh my gosh was that book powerful! I had no idea about the realities of polygamy for women, but especially for the children. I haven't read the Thirteenth Tale yet but I'll add it to my library list!

Sarcastic Bastard said...

Man, SB HATES Janet Evanovich. A bunch of the ladies here at work really dig her, so I was subjected to one of her damn books on CD on the ride back from the company retreat last year. I wanted to KILL myself. Of course the other ladies just laughed and laughed and thought the book on CD was SO fucking funny. I was stone silent for the entire ride, but I did keep rolling my eyes while those broads were shreiking with laughter. Jesus. I just don't get it. That ho Evanovich is anything but literary or funny for that matter.

Beth said...

SB you crack me up! Can I assume that a you-and-me trip to a Janet Evanovich signing is out of the question? Ha! I would love to go to a book signing with you because frankly, in a fair fight, I think she could take you...