A.A., Penn Valley

To me the library is like Cheers, because everyone there knows my name. I feel so welcome and though I cannot tell you what my credit card number is, I CERTAINLY know my 16 digit library number by heart. All the people who work there are kind, interesting and knowledgeable about books. They support my efforts in getting different books for my 3 children to read, and we exchange book reviews regularly. This description is only one level of what the library means to me. It is also the FEELING I get whenever I walk in those doors--I am truly happy to be there. I am even happier after the interactions I have when I am there. When I am away, I honestly miss the library, its wonderful inhabitants and its amazing contents. I count on the true feeling of community I receive while there. I consider myself blessed to know I have a place at the Bala Cynwyd library. We are all lucky to have the library, since there are still places all over the world that have nothing, no resources, no books, no place to study or learn, no refuge, no sanctuary. Because we have a wealth of resources here, it has made my family able to donate our books, both locally and globally. We do not take this for granted. The library gives to us, so we can give to others. We pay it forward.

E.R., Michigan

When my twin sister and I were growing up in Cleveland, Ohio, we lived five houses from the corner. On that corner was a branch of the Cleveland Public Library. Every morning during summer vacation, we would pick up at least four books apiece, come home, sit on our porch, read all the books, and then go back to the library late in the afternoon. Of course we wanted more books. The frustrated librarians moaned, "Please, girls, give us at least ONE day to circulate the books!" But they let us have more anyway. During that same time, our parents rented a summer cottage for two weeks on the shores of Lake Erie. It was our job to go with our dad to the library and get enough books for all of us to read aloud to each other on the beach. It didn't matter whether the books were for adults or kids, we read them all. Talk about a way to foster a lifelong love of reading!

I am so proud of my own role as a board member of my library, the Soutfield Public Library. In 2000 we successfully passed a millage to replace our old library with a brand-new, state-of-the-art masterpiece. It has actually become a tourist attraction in our part of the Detroit metropolitan area.

G.G., Wynnewood

I love Penn Wynne Library! I like how they have computers and how we get visitors (like the lady with all those crazy pets) and how I see my friends when I go.

This summer at Science in the Summer we got to make goop and it was really cool. We made goop from glue and water and other stuff and then we mushed it up and then waited until the end of the science class and then we checked it and it was all gooey. Me and my friends went to Boston's Style and then another friends house to go swimming and we talked about the fun we had making the goop and being in the science class together. We're glad we have our library.