This month’s blog is an ode to public libraries and librarians. In Nikki Giovanni’s last stanza of her poem, My First Memory (of Librarians), she writes, “The welcoming smile of my librarian; The anticipation in my heart; All those books — another world — just waiting at my fingertips.” How many of you have fond memories of the first time you used your public library and met its librarians? How has your perception of public libraries and librarians changed as you got older? A library strives to provide a nourishing environment that welcomes all who venture inside. Librarians work every day to deliver on the promise to inspire, assist, and directly facilitate in creating a community of readers. May you still find libraries the same welcoming and engaging space as when you first entered as a youngster.
Next is a list of 31 books about libraries and librarians, from a blogger who hosts a blog called The Uncorked Librarian. Of course, your own public library is the first place to find these books, audiobooks, and ebooks.
Podcasts have become very popular for readers. The following is a suggested podcast that all members of a family can enjoy. It is called, “Stump the Librarian.” This is a once-weekly podcast by librarians who put their research skills to the test by answering questions from listeners. The librarians are from the Kent District Library in Michigan. Happy Listening.
During this month of March, why not try visiting a local museum? My suggestion this month is a trip to the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. It is located across from the Fenway in Boston’s Back Bay. The museum was built in 1898–1901 by Isabella Stewart Gardner (1840–1924), an American art collector, philanthropist, and patron of the arts. Museums are a little like libraries; they have become collections of more than just books. Both institutions are repositories of human knowledge and information.
In conclusion, Our public libraries have been transformed from when you might first remember signing up for a library card as a child. They are now places for a wide variety of gatherings that are not exclusively book talks. They also offer music, play, story times, cultural and informative events, and always lots of books, and magazines both physical, digital, and audio. They offer free wifi, study spaces, reading spaces, and computers. Public libraries are icons. They offer essential services for your daily living. They are indispensable to all members of your family. Step through our doors for the Hopkinton Public Library experience.