As I'm sure that you aware of the fact that I'm a public librarian. This is the perfect job for me because books were my first true love. Yes, being a librarian is more than checking out books and fixing shelves but there's something about walking into a building full of books that makes my heart smile!
My love affair with books began when I was a small child living on the southside of Tucson. The elementary school that I attended was called a "Back to Basics" school which just meant we had a ridiculous amount of homework to do each night (I'm kidding!). The librarian at my school had the coolest name (Mrs. Finklestein) and she was the most amazing storyteller! She also had a knack for introducing you to books that she knew you would like but never pick out for yourself. Often times, I would just walk up to her and say "Can you give me a good book?" and she never let me down. Mrs. Finklestein encouraged us to improve our reading skills and step outside of our comfort zones. I remember the time she handed me The Neverending Story and told me not to be afraid of how big it was (I was in the 3rd grade). I plowed through it and it is one of my favorite books to this day.
I remember the first time my dad took me to the public library. We walked in and he said to me, "All of these books are free. You get to take any of them home that you want." That was amazing to me. I didn't know there was a place, outside of my school library, that allowed you to take books home for free! My dad and I would go on "dates" the library and I loved spending that time with him.
As I grew older, I would still hide away with a good book. I often found myself longing for a quiet space and a book instead of hanging out with my friends. It never seemed strange to me that I was able to relate to the characters in books more than I was able to relate to the people around me.
As a mom, I have worked really hard at encouraging The Princess to fall in love with books. I began reading to her while she was still in the womb and I swear she loved hearing Dr. Seuss and the Berenstain Bears. Before she could read, I would read her a story of her choosing every night before bed. These times were a chance for us to explore & experience a new world through a book together. Once she began learning to read, we switched roles and she would read to me each night. Now that The Princess is older, she doesn't always want to sit and read to me and that's ok. I'm just happy that those times when the television is off and the house is dead silent, I can find her in her room reading her newest library book.
Here's a funny fact - I didn't grow up wanting to be a librarian. When I graduated from high school, I wanted to be a police officer and eventually an agent with the FBI. With these goals in mind, I studied Criminal Justice and Sociology and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in both. It's funny how things change and when you walk a certain path, you realize that the destination in front of you is not where you should be.
I still get giddy at the sight of books despite working amongst them every day. When I visited the Central Branch of the
Free Library of Philadelphia, I was in awe of their collection. It seemed like there were books as far as the eye could see (I'm exaggerating a bit but it was that awesome!). This branch was the type of library branch I pictured myself working at - it was a bookworm's heaven :)
So, now you know. Books were my first true love, followed by Jon Bon Jovi and Bruce Willis (Hey, I was young! Don't judge me!). I'd like to leave you with a quote that I truly describes how I feel about books.
"Books are the quietest and most constant of friends;
they are the most accessible and wisest of counselors,
and the most patient of teachers."
~Charles William Eliot~
