The following post is part of a Seed Pod collaboration about libraries. Seed Pods are a SmallStack community project designed to help smaller publications lift each other up by publishing and cross-promoting around a common theme. Weāre helping each other plant the seeds for growth!
Hi all! Iām still in a bit of a āpauseā on my writing here, daydreaming about new goals for this Substack (and presently focused on getting out the vote), but I had to jump back in here to participate in ās call for pieces about libraries. I wrote a post last summer that fits the theme (see the link below), but first, a quick confession:
You know, you can tell a lot about a woman by the contents of her purseā¦
ā Mr. Incredible (The Incredibles, 2004)Ā Ā
I have five library cards in my wallet.
What does this say about me? Do I owe so much in overdue fines that I must keep looking for new places to score?Ā
No. I just happen to live in a suburban area that has several towns close together that allow ānon-residentsā to get a library card.Ā Ā
(And, I am also cheap frugal.)Ā
I have good reasons for wanting access to each of these public libraries. One of them is the closest to my house. Two are equidistant from my sonās day program. One offers a New York Times subscription and a good interlibrary loan service, and another has the widest selection of books and digital content.Ā Ā
Itās no exaggeration to say I use library services every day. If Iām not reading a book I checked out or listening to an audiobook, Iām reading an article from a digital subscription, or using a study room with free wi-fi. At home, I might be killing caring for a plant sprouted from a āseed library,ā streaming an old movie or TV show, or completing research through online databases.Ā
I use many other libraries besides those five, too, in my work as a researcher. In person and online, I dig around in university libraries and special collections, state and local history depositories, family history sites, and the National Archives.Ā
One of my favorite jobs once upon a time was working at the circulation desk at two branches of the Phoenix Public Library. I also worked as an intern in an archives at a state historical society, cataloguing oral history recordings, documents, maps, transcripts, and photographs.Ā Ā
So, yeah, Iām proud to say Iāve got more library cards than credit cards.
I wrote a silly piece about an unexpected library study partner I had last summer. If you missed it, please check it out:
33. Table for Two, I Guess?
This is a story about how weird I am. A slightly awkward encounterāabsolutely made weirder by writing about it, but I just couldnāt get it out of my head until I did. So, here you go. :) Click the link for the āread aloudā version.
Me and libraries? Weāre close.Ā Ā
Thanks for the prompt,
ā Iām happy to be in the community of so many other library lovers š š
Want to see more posts from this Seed Pod or join in on the fun? Head over to our thread to learn more!
P.S. One (or two?) of you may notice that this issue is not numbered as my previous posts have been. When I started Itās Like This three years ago, that was a thing a lot of people on Substack were doingā¦Now? Not so much. And, Iām in the process of re-imagining this Substack to expand my writingĀ here beyond my experiences as a parent and caregiver, so there will be a few other changes coming as I get this figured outāstay tuned!
P.P.S.S. If youāre in the U.S., please make sure youāre registered to vote! Go here to see deadlines for registration and info on early voting and voting by mail.
I simply love your love of libraries, Robin! Itās so endearing. I donāt use libraries as much as it seems you do, but my mum and my girlfriend both frequent them often. :)
I thought I might be overdoing it with four library cards. I salute your five cards!