My Challenges (timed)


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Completed 8 of 9



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Completed 2 of 3



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Completed 2 of 4



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Completed 71 of 81



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Completed 9 of 10


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Completed 34 of 50



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Completed 1 of 2



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Completed 1 of 2



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Completed 1 of 5



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Completed 3 of 5



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Completed 5 of 100

My Challenges (perpetual)

100 SHOTS OF SHORT
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CHECKIN’ OFF THE CHEKHOV
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THE COMPLETE BOOKER
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MARTEL-HARPER CHALLENGE
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MODERN LIBRARY'S 100 BEST NOVELS

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NATIONAL BOOK AWARDS
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THE PULITZER PROJECT
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TAMMY'S BEYOND BOOKS CHALLENGE

New York Times Book Review: 6/40
New Yorker: 0/36
New York Review of Books: 0/20
Vogue: 1/16
Email: 841/1373

Thursday, April 2, 2009

Booking Through Thursday - April 2

I haven't done one of these for some time, but this week's topic jumped up and grabbed me.

"I saw that National Library week is coming up in April, and that led to some questions. How often do you use your public library and how do you use it? Has the coffeehouse/bookstore replaced the library? Did you go to the library as a child? Do you have any particular memories of the library? Do you like sleek, modern, active libraries or the older, darker, quiet, cozy libraries?"

The library is one of my all-time favorite places. In fact, the very word "library" makes me feel all warm and fuzzy, that's how much I love it. I use my local library constantly -- we're blessed to have a wonderful collection of books (including audio), CD's, and DVD's, and the collection is always growing. And if they don't have a particular something, you can request it through interlibrary loan and it usually shows up in just a day or two.

I used my library in part so as not to buy every single book that I want to read, in an attempt to keep my personal library under control (as it's now over 800 books strong, I don't know how successful I am). I also take advantage of the other items available -- getting DVD's there sure beats paying to rent them. About the only thing I don't use that the library offers is the Internet, only because I'm on it what seems like every minute of the day anyway.

I don't think libraries are being replaced at all, I know mine is always full of people no matter what day or time I go there. And considering the library collection beats any bookstore's inventory hands down, I don't know why anyone would choose the store (unless they just need the coffee that bad).

I can't think of a time when I didn't love the library. I remember being in elementary school and going to our local library (a very, very small one) and wanting to spend hours, maybe days, there. Nowhere was I as happy and content as browsing the stacks. The feel and smell of the books, the orderliness to it all, the comfortable enveloping quiet, all the adventures and relationships waiting to be found between the covers of the books -- heaven on earth.

2 comments:

-.- said...

I'm with you. I love the library as well.

~ Popin

Jess said...

WOW -- 800 books -- that is amazing.