~for the love of a good book~

Yesterday was field trip day for "the 20" as well as the 3 other first grade classes at school.  We made the journey in the morning hours to the library here in Montrose where the kids were treated to a variety of activities to familiarize them with the summer reading program this year.    They heard a great story, got to dress up as library "super heroes",  and even take a "behind the scenes" tour of what goes on at the public library.  They enjoyed their hour and a half visit and hopefully when summertime comes in just a few short weeks more, those 6 and 7-year olds will visit and check out a good book or two all summer long.

Reading.  It's just that important. 

As I watched them having fun yesterday, the shy little 6-year old that I used to be couldn't help but to think how nice it would have been, now 53 years ago, to have the ability to go to a library each week in the summer and be treated to a good book.  As the 6th kid of 7 in my family, the opportunity to go to the library during June,  July, and August in the summer of 1961 went by 2 names.

Slim and none.

We lived on a farm, 7 miles from the closest of city libraries and with our dad either off cutting wheat somewhere in the Great Plains states or working on our own farm, there was no one to take us.  Mom didn't drive but with 6 other kids to take care of, even if she did we probably would not have been able to go as often as little ones get to go these days.  It wasn't as if our parents didn't want us to be good readers because they did and I'm sure that there were books for our use at home.  But nothing is a great as stepping into a library filled with volumes and volumes of rich literature, all for our choosing. 

I love the concept of the "book mobile" and the kids really appreciate knowing that twice a month it comes to our school to visit.  Although the choice is much smaller than that of a full size library, at least there is a great variety of books to pick from and the kids are most appreciative.  This summer the bookmobile will come more often, each week as a matter of fact, and that makes me very happy for the students that have been in my class as well as any others that will visit it to check out books.  Reading every day, whether school is in session or not, is really very important.  Plain and simple, it's crucial that they continue to read.

I have been in many great libraries throughout the course of the last nearly 60 years and each of them have plenty of special memories for me.  One of them, the Coburn Free Library in Owego, New York, has been a favorite to visit.  I got the chance to go there in 2012 and 2013 when I went on vacation to see family and friends.  From the minute I opened the door there, I could tell that I was in a "real" library and one that put me in mind of the very first library I ever went into back in the tiny town of Burrton, Kansas.  Coburn is a treat to the senses, from the smell of so many good books to the sight of the wonderful architecture that went into its building.  

From a visit in 2012 on a wet and rainy early summer day.

I had 20 "flat people" with me that I was delivering to the library from students back home in Kansas.

Even the woodwork has that great "library smell" to it!

I loved the glass floors and the way the light came through them.

The "teacher" in me will always wish for you and everyone else to continue to be lifelong readers.  It always makes me sad to hear anyone say that they don't like to read and I think about how much they are missing out on because of that.  Even if they are just short stories or excerpts from books, I hope that you as an adult are "sticking your nose" in a book every single day.

Reading is surely knowledge.
Knowledge is surely power.
Why not try a good book today?