E.S., Ardmore

The daughter of an English and reading teacher who later became a librarian, I was born into books, reading and libraries. I loved our weekly after-school trips to the library, where I borrowed 7 or 8 at a time, devoured them, and took out another stack at the next visit. I especially loved biographies - I wanted to know why these people were special and important enough for someone to write about their lives - and stories about families. The biographies of Helen Keller and Pocahontas and the All of a Kind Family, Little House on the Prairie and Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle series were great favorites.

I'm now a regular user of the Ludington Library. I'm drawn to Newberry and Caldecott winners children's books, adult fiction, books on all kinds of crafts, music CD's, and audiobooks. I may be in my car racing along a highway, but when I listen to an audiobook I have the same pleasure I had as a child when a story was read to me.

Libraries are free. They are about sharing, being responsible for what you take out, and about community. There are notices and opportunities on bulletin boards, concerts and discussions, tax information at tax time. There are computers. The librarians and staff are ready to help. One can wander and browse, focus, study, read, and think about anything and everything. Mostly, of course, there are the books, all the wonderful books.