Library contest, V and VI

I said in the rules of the contest that mention of one of my books wouldn’t give a person any extra points, but…

I loved the depiction of childhood glee in Susan M’s piece, since who wouldn’t love a secret passageway into a world of books?  But honestly, I had to recognize Kathy Eliot, who made the mistake of wandering into a library’s annual sale, and had her life taken over.

Two women who lifted the lid into a new world, and fell inside.

Susan M:

My childhood library had a built-in window seat.  One day I noticed that it had a pull-ring on top of the seat and the entire seat was actually hinged.  I lifted the seat/lid and found the storage was crammed with books, wonderful books!  I still remember the thrill of discovery. I also wondered why no one had told me that there were more books inside the bench, it seemed like something everyone should be told about.  My current favorite library doesn’t have secret storage in a window seat, but it does have a fireplace and the most wonderful staff in Tulsa.  I still love discovering new and exciting books at my local library!

And Kathy Eliot: Once Upon a Book Sale

Our largest library is the one at the University: it’s the best stacked, best catalogued and most up to date. Once, they were having a book sale to clear some of their older copies, and I came across this book called ‘The Moor’.

I put in on the shelf until I finished my Bachelors. I had lost interest in Sherlock Holmes for a number of years, but reading that novel rekindled all the love I had for the great detective. I hunted the rest of the series down, and spent a number of tortured months waiting until I had them all, so I could read them in the correct order.

Nowadays I’m pursuing my Masters in Modern and Contemporary Literature and Criticism. And my dissertation will be about Holmes Canon vis-a-vis Russell Kanon. My tutor tells me that it is very possible for a single book to change the course of your studying career completely. That library book sale completely changed the course my studies would have taken, and consequently had a very large impact on my life. Libraries are, simply put, unopened treasure throves, simply waiting for anyone one willing and brave enough to come tug at their lid.

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2 Comments

  1. Suzanne Peterson on May 17, 2012 at 6:11 am

    I grew up in Libraries. My dad was in the Navy and we moved every two years, except when we moved after one year. So books were something that we didn’t own a lot of because they were so heavy and we were allowed only up to a certain weight. My mom was a real stickler for that – so not too many books. But my dad loved to read and I owe my love of reading to my Dad, so every Saturday morning when he was home, we were at the Library. He didn’t drop me off, and after he got his books, he would sit at the children’s talbe with me as I discussed the merits of Laura Ingalls Wilder and Beverly Cleary. We would be there for hours. Thanks Dad, those were some of the happiest times of my life.

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