Another in our very sentimental (in a good way!) series, Libraries We Love. Here's asking readers far and wide to send us tales of your libraries, your librarians, and all the fun that's been had, and we'll do our best to post them. And send us a picture!
This one is particularly winning, as the library (and its valiant librarians) comes across as scrappy little fighters. There's an action movie I could love: a ragtag group of librarians battle for the very lives of their patrons, while the relentless machinery of bureaucracy threatens to dismantle it. Meanwhile, in the narrowest row of books in back, one kid is reading an obscure book about how to save the human race…oh wait, I think I've digressed.
At any rate, this one is from reader Heather, who when asked whether we should use her name said "Either way. It's the librarians who are the stars, not me." I think I'm tearing up.
I wanted to give a shout out to my local public library branch, the Northside branch of the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County. In a time of struggling state budgets, this library fights for its patrons in a neighborhood that is not among the wealthiest in the area. There was talk a few years ago of shutting this branch down, but the community and library fought back against the plan. It's always busy when I stop in (I drop in weekly), and the staff handles the constant activity with aplomb.And a personal shout out to the librarians who help me most frequently: Sarah Schellenger, the head librarian, who is an excellent librarian as well as community resource; Sharon Rogers, who assists me in finding children's books; and Diane Stroud – who actually brought reserved books to MY HOUSE when I was on maternity leave one winter. They are all amazing librarians who do the most with the resources they are given and keep an amazing library alive.
Are you hearing this, people? Brought books to her house. I thought it was amazing when the hardware store guy dropped off our garbage cans—and we were paying for those.
Got a library or a librarian you want to crow about? E-mail us at thediamondinthewindow (at) gmail (dot) com, and we will be happy to spread the love.
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