I spent an hour at the Harmony Library this afternoon. It has been a cold day so the library sounded inviting. I was a librarian my senior year in high school to pickup a credit or two. As I reflected I realized that working in the library today is much different than in 1968. Back then nothing was digital. The old card file system worked just fine and an ink can with an ink soaked sponge and a rubber stamp. Interestingly I watched as librarians helped people with the many desktop computers that they have everywhere. So a librarian needs to be tech savvy now a days. They also have a media center where people can print papers, articles and assignments. My media center back then was a notebook and pencil. As I sat and journaled with my fountain pen, I noticed a crackling and rustling sound as a woman sitting near me turned the pages of a newspaper. Now that’s a sound I don’t hear much any more. I also watched several people carrying stacks of 3-6 books to check out, which means there are still people who read books rather than watch television.
8 Comments
Duane Sawyer
Wow. I haven’t been to library in forever and we have one across the street that I have never been to. I have always loved libraries. As a kid, we went to a big old Carnegie at least once every other week and checked out books. Went to Kindergarden in the basement. I am going to make a point to get to the one here in Johnstown sooner than later. Thanks for the push!
Monte Stevens
You’re welcome and have fun at the library.
Earl
I always loved libraries and book stores while growing up. Reading has always been something I enjoy, and while I like the feel of a “real” book, I do all my reading via ebooks these days. I do think I’ve had the opportunity to read from some lesser-known authors using ebooks. Many are self-published or published by a very small epublisher and would probably never make it to a library shelf in paper form. A while back, I published a book on Amazon for a friend, and it was a pretty “slick” process. I think I miss newspapers in a way, but perhaps I just miss having news you can count on without it being a lie or propaganda.
Monte Stevens
I never read much when younger but began reading in my mid 30s. I am basically a non-fiction reader. I also read primarily on my e-reader. I bought one when working as a flight attendant because they were much easier to carry than books. I can carry my whole library with me.When I first began using the e-reader books were much less but that is not the case now.
Tom Dills
Our 10-year old grandson is an avid reader, and even though he got a Kindle for Christmas, he still enjoys going to the library. It’s not unusual for him to come out with a totebag full of books! I have a long list of books on hold and depending on availability I try to mix in “real” books with the eBooks for my Kindle. We have a lot of time for reading since we don’t spend time watching television!
I always enjoyed reading the newspaper, but the Charlotte paper is worthless these days, as are most small local papers (as well as most large national ones, sadly).
Love the library!
Monte Stevens
I have been downsizing my small library of books and passing along these books so others may also get to enjoy them and the seeds they plant within us. It is also a simple and easy way to read books by downloading them from our libraries. I have been doing that more and saving money for my morning mochas.
geri oster
Oh, the precious library! I grew up on a farm 7 miles from a little town in SE SD. I went to country school, yes, the ol’ one room schoolhouse then to a large two room one converted from our old Catholic Church into Tobin #18, K-8 grade. Yes, I walked, rode my bicycle and my pony to school! My mom taught in another country school, and I would get to go with her to Mitchell, the big city of 13,000, to the District School Supply. There I was allowed to help pick out books from their library for her to take to her school for a month on loan to use as their library. I was also allowed to pick out books for myself. Our country school library was a few shelves of such monthly gathered treasures housed in the old confessional of the old church. I think I read every biography of famous people printed for young grade school aged children at that time. Oh JOY!
We are fortunate to have a wonderful County Library here in Lander. I just like the feel of it, of any library. Home. Thanks for the trip down memory lane, Monte.
Monte Stevens
And thank you for the trip down memory lane of your childhood. What a gift it is to have something we read stir those memories, and we get to relive those moments. I’m glad you enjoyed those memories and for sharing them with us. I hope all is well with you two! It has been a very windy day here in Fort Collins with wind gusts up to 35 mph. They had I 25 and US 287 closed between Cheyenne and Laramie today because of the high winds. I hope you are safe up there!