I’ve always loved libraries. Instead of the coveted “gym helper” spot in elementary school, I seamlessly fit into a slightly nerdier role – a library helper. I spent most of my 5th-grade year surrounded by books and learning the Dewey Decimal system from my all-time favorite librarian, Mrs. Foltz.
As I grew up, I fell victim to the all-too-common trope of feeling like reading was a task to check off my homework to-do list, instead of a meditative practice that brought hope and joy to my life. By the time I reached high school, I no longer felt the unadulterated love I once had for reading. The only reason I would set foot in the library was to try and find a book for an assignment- and God forbid I spent more than 15 minutes looking for it.
Once I got to college, I slowly started reading consistently again, and it quickly became an expensive hobby. Every time Booktok got a hold of my “For You” page, I added a book to my Amazon cart- and it was starting to make a dent in my wallet.
When I went home for summer break this year, I had more time to read, and it became one of my daily habits; which also meant I was spending money I didn’t have. As I groaned about another $15 down the Target drain, my mom gave me a simple solution: “Go to the library!”
Going to the library hadn’t even crossed my mind because of my adolescent aversion to the library, but I quickly got on board. I headed to my local library, unaware that I was about to find one of my new happy places.
Anyone can walk into a library. Not only are there stories lining the shelves, but every single person in the library has their own story. There are children with nothing to worry about, contently listening to storytime; teenagers begrudgingly learning another language or discussing a group project for school; adults walking around lazily for the first time in days; and elderly people in a computer class. It’s all very meta – a beautiful conglomerate of all types of people surrounded by stories about all types of people.
The library is full of joyful people looking for even more joy, sad people looking for hope, and ambitious people looking for information. It’s sort of like an airport in that way – emotions run the gamut and everyone has their own equally important reason to be there. For me, I go to the library to stroll through the shelves and try to find books that I would have never learned about otherwise. After I take a few minutes in the “new books” section, I make my way to the librarians’ recommendations section. My favorite type of book is one that makes me feel something so strongly that I can’t help but keep reading– and trust me, the librarians seem to never disappoint with their recs!
Reading is for everyone, and so are libraries. In my overwhelming college student life, I find no greater joy than realizing that I have the time to read. It feels like the only thing left in the world that can give me a form of escape while simultaneously pulling me into the present. The library is the place where I can feel safe while discovering stories that do just that.
For me, there is simply no place more peaceful, more beautiful, or more incredible than a library. In a world filled with distractions and obligations, the library is a timeless haven where the simple act of reading means you feel like you belong. Even if you haven’t been a nerd about reading from the time you were five years old (like I was), the library can still be a place to find hope and shared humanity. So go try it and support your local library in the process!