5 Reasons Why We Visit the Library

This past weekend, the Propah Toddlah and I stopped into our local library to set Mom up with a library card. Yeesh, I've been living in our town for three years now and have never stopped in to take advantage of one of the great things about living in a town like ours. After our Saturday visit, I left with a renewed (get it?) outlook on spending time in our local library with my growing family. I think it's important for a few very good reasons...

1. It's a Tradition. That alone isn't always the best reason to continue to do something but I can remember my Mom taking us to the library to pick out books. I would always borrow the same Shel Silverstein books of poetry. The pictures were funny and so were the rhymes. We loved reading them on long trips and even short one. One tradition I would like to break in regards to library books is returning them late.. I'm going to be the one to break that cycle!

2. We're Supporting Our Community. This seems like a given but I know that it took me forever to visit our local library so I'm willing to be there are more out there like me. When the librarian was breaking down how there are basically no late fees until you've basically had the book overdue for about 5 months, I knew that our town isn't trying to nickle and dime us, they're trying to provide a service and a community center where people can visit, learn and grow. My supporting our local libraries and parks departments and community centers, we are doing not just our towns a service but ourselves as well!

3. We're Keeping Our Minds Sharp, Duh. We read with Wesley all the time, or at least we try to. He loves books and it reminds me that I need to reignite my love of books as well. It's not so much that I don't read, I actually read a lot, but I don't sit down to enjoy a work of fiction, with a cup of coffee, uninterrupted by life's daily distractions. I can foresee us spending some quality Saturday hours logged at the library, enjoying some quiet time, reading and focusing on the learning and loving involved with reading.

4. Disconnecting. I mean this literally. We spend so much time as a digital culture, focused on our devices. I can already see my son asking for the phone or the ipad and while I'm not the type of mother who is like "Absolutely No Screentime For You!", I'm also concerned that he's going to grow up to be out of touch with some important things, like going out to experience life, instead of living it attached to his phone or tablet. Reading a good ol' fashioned book at the library after you spent a morning at the park is exactly what we need to do sometimes.

5. It's Inspirational. Sometimes, browsing Amazon isn't the best way to get inspiration. When you're in the stacks of the library's non-fiction section, you can find all sorts of cool, old and even out of print books that you might not have ever seen if you were browsing on the internet. I borrowed a whole slew of books to browse on my train rides this coming weekend. I'm especially excited about The Art of Tassel Making and plan to leave a project for my husband while I'm gone (build me a "warping board", directions in the book!)... You never know what you'll be inspired by if you have a little time to browse.

Do you frequent the local library? What's your favorite reason?