"The best candy shop a child can be left alone in, is the library." Maya Angelou
Wylie has a love of the library that almost matches mine. He is also just a little bit in love with the librarian who is so patient and kind and sweet. I read him the quote above and Wylie asked if we could do sleep overs in the library! What an idea!NPR has a piece "Why the Next Big Pop-Culture Wave After Cupcakes Might Be Libraries" the article is here. (Thank you Valerie for sending it to me)
I would love it if libraries ended up being a hip and fun place to go, especially if it got rid of the cupcake affair that the US has right now. Here are my thoughts on how good it might be for the US toddler -adult population:
1. Might help end obesity among young children
2. Most likely will increase knowledge and keep kids in school.
3. Increase the funding of public libraries over the funding of wars as people will actually read about history and not repeat it.
4. Increase the writing capabilities of all who jump on the library band wagon.
5. Foster surrogate grandparent programs for children.
Okay the last one was a bit of a stretch but really retired folks could and should offer to read to children at the local library, offer to help in literacy programs, and of course instill of love of reading.
I remember in childhood and early adolescence going to the local library at home during the summer to watch old movies, learn about cultures other than my own through reading and listening programs, and the best was the day I was old enough to move over to the adult stacks. I also remember when the library was parked at the beach. Yes I said parked. It was a mobile home that held at most 400 books but had all sorts of books and you could request a book from the central library. It is now a large building in the town with many of the programs I grew up with at my local library. This is in a beach town! Why can't we have library programs like that now in more urban areas?
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