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Stories to Read
Simple Things: Libraries
Libraries are the best deal in town. Any town. They are magical places that are used by just about everyone because we all know that the answers we seek are somewhere within the walls of the library between the covers of a book... (Read More)
The first thing I tell people
When we move away, the thing I will miss most will be the library here in Madison. It's the first thing I tell people about who are new to the area... (Read More)
Libraries offer comfort, friendship
Like an open, gentle and generous family member, libraries have always offered me comfort, friendship and knowledge... (Read More)
A half-century, plus, at the library
1950s...I have a reading affair with perry Mason for many years, under the blanksets of my bed with my flashlight... (Read More)
Blessed with public libraries
My first library remembrances are of a mobile library unit coming once every two weeks to ur small town of Hanover, Ill... (Read More)
Quotables
Without the library, I probably would have ended up a frustrated and unpleasant person. The library saved me and gave me worlds to explore beyond my own household. When I was 12, my parents separated and my mother and I moved to a small town in Colorado. It was 1974 and we knew no one. There was no radio, and the television only aired the Watergate hearings. My mother drank a lot and got involved with people that wanted nothing to do with me, and my schoolmates shunned an outsider. During my second week I found the library and spent three or more hours there every weekday. The librarians must have recognized how lost I was and found tasks for me to do so I felt useful. They saved up books for me to shelve. I ended up reading Vonnegut, philosophy, and feminist theory as well as many romance novels. I had somewhere to escape to instead of running away, drinking or taking drugs.
We were only there six months but it set a pattern for my life. In any town I've ever lived in, I patronize the library and give back as a volunteer or a donor. Through the portal of my local branch, I've traveled all over the world and a few lively spots in the universe. My love of information has never ceased. This summer I will graduate with my doctorate degree, just shy of 50 years old –- something I never could have done without the support of many helpful librarians. Thank you!
-- Amy Gilliland, Madison Monroe Street Branch (05/10)
The bookmobile is like a meteor falling out of the sky. I like the bookmobile because it is free. It's here all summer on Wednesdays, and Mrs. Holly is so friendly and the other workers. I like it so much.
-- Carli Stevens, Kilbourn Public Library & Bookmobile
(Wisconsin Dells) (05/10)
I've always loved the library, and the TAB program at the Monona Public Library is so wonderful. TAB stands for Teen Advisory Board, a group that inspires, creates, organizes, and hosts teen programs that also promote literacy, education and communities. Some of the more popular ideas attributed to TAB include the two-day Harry Potterfest in December, the lock-in, and the monthly newsletter. The TAB coordinator, Toni Streckert, is one of the most fun people I have ever met. I go to the library multiple times a week, and that's my library story!
-- Helen Rottier, Madison Pinney Branch & Monona Public Library (05/10)
The library has always been a part of my life, ever since I was a little girl. It was a safe place to go, and I spent many hours reading about things of interest to me. Later, the more seriously I got into drawing and painting, I went there to find pictures of animals and wildlife to draw from. After I got married, I began making wood patterns for my father-in-law and again I turned to the libary for pictures to draw from, and the nice large tables they had gave me the room I needed for the larger patterns. But probably the biggest impact on my life were the computers. I'm 52 years old so I was never exposed to computers, but I became curious and one day they showed me how to put in a dot com and I've been hooked ever since. Learning to e-mail and explore helped me to widen my horizons, looking up valuable health information on my husband's medications, and eventually even meeting friends all over the world with similar interests of mine. I now have a good friend in
Huntington Beach, and another in Buenos Aires that I would never have met if it wasn't for computers. I'm still a self-taught amatuer but I never dreamed I would have gotten this far. If it wasn't for my public library I would never have gotten started. It's opened up a whole new world for me.
-- Carol Hetzel, Stevens Point (05/10)
The bookmobile is to get books and learn about cool stuff. It has no late fees and Mrs. Holly helps you find the books that you like. That might be animal books. I think Mrs. Holly likes to read books, and it is a library mobile on wheels. The bookmobile is like the world, and is full of books about real animals -- for example, lions, dolphins, monkeys, wolfs, huskys and a horse.
-- Caroline Pakos, Kilbourn Public Library & Bookmobile (Wisconsin Dells) (05/10)
My parents died when I was very young, and my sister raised me. She had a job, but every Saturday we would go to the library. When I left home to come to Madison for Nursing School, one of the first things I did was venture out by myself, walking to the Square to find the library and get my library card. Because I was so homesick for my family, the library and reading were my haven. I have had my card for 58 years and still go once a week to the library. My sister, age 95, and I still talk about reading, books, and the library.
--Sarah Sergenian, Madison's Alicia Ashman Branch (05/10)
I love the bookmobile because it has books for all ages. Also, I like the bookmobile because my favorite series of books, Magic Tree House, is in the bookmobile. I use the bookmobile because the books I read from the bookmobile make a lot of sense. Also, they are handy because I can check out books during class time, but on other days besides Friday I have to stay in for recess to check out a book. Plus the bookmobile has books about sports, which I love, and it takes up school time.
-- Sam Mayer, Kilbourn Public Library & Bookmobile (Wisconsin Dells) (05/10)
Summer vacation would not be complete without participating in the children's reading program. It has become a summer ritual along with flip-flops, swimming and ice cream. Every week we stop by to check out new books and redeem goodies for filling out the bingo cards. We fill a big canvas bag with books from the library and throughout the week we read the books one by one. Thanks to the Lodi Library for endless hours of summer time reading!
-- Denise Kruchten, Lodi Woman's Club Public Library (05/10)
I have a daughter of 3 years old, and I visit the library very frequently with her. The library has played a vital role in my child's learning process. We attend story time regularly, where my daughter gets an opportunity to play with other kids before the story time starts. Initially she never used to sit and listen to the story for the complete half-an-hour. But as time went by, she started looking at the other kids who were listening and interacting with the staff who was reading for the kids. Now she likes story time more. She learned good manners. She loves "The more we get together" song in the story time. She learned many things from the books which I read for her regularly. She was not potty trained before. After I showed her the DVD's about potty training from the library and read many books, she understands it and learned quickly. The library staff helped me in finding the right books and DVD's for her. She also likes to solve more puzzles as she is growing, which helps her thinking power. I am very thankful to have such a wonderful library in Stevens Point.
-- Mubeen Sulthana, Stevens Point (05/10)
The bookmobile is like a magical library. The people on it are friendly. The books are very good. You can pick any books. It is like a world of books. And Miss Holly works there. You can learn from the books. It is a great place to be.
--Weronika Pachniewicz, Kilbourn Public Library & Bookmobile (Wisconsin Dells) (05/10)
My memories of the local library when I was an elementary student are filled with warm, sunlit windows where I sat in wooden rocking chairs, reading and entering another world for awhile. I remember being a new student at UW-Madison in 1985 and seeking a book at Helen C. White library for the first time. There were no hard copy card catalogs at this library, and I contrarily asked where they were in spite of the the computerized system this large university had to offer. Now I am able to navigate the computerized card catalog with ease, but I want to tell you about a special Madison public librarian. My sister, Lori Smetana, moved to Madison, left a career as an RN, and gained a Master's degree in library science, all because she loved books and information and she followed her love. Today she is one of the excellent librarians in the Madison Public Library system. To me, she typifies what is right and great about the public library system: She loves libraries, and books and information and she wants to share that with the patrons. Madison is lucky to have her and all of the other passionate librarians who work in your system.
--Beth Smetana, Alma Center (05/10)
The library has been instrumental for myself and my children for obtaining materials for personal research and for schoolwork. A large volume of material is at my fingertips for all my needs. The recipricol lending within the SCLS plays a big part in my usage of the library. My daughter just received an A on a paper that she wrote for her MATC Religion class, using information from books put on hold through the South Central Library System. I have worked for the library for 13 years, and its a wonderful service for the community.
-- Melanie Wichern, E.D. Locke Public Library (McFarland) (05/10)
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