Stories to Read

What Would We Do Without Libraries

I used to work for a small business in a niche market. Frequently, we would know which company manufactured an item, but not where the company was located or how to find them (this was in
the days before the Internet). I would call the library reference
desk, and the librarian would help me... Read More

 

The Library Means Good Health

Marcus Newton says he used to have a very unhealthy lifestyle. He smoked. He drank. He didn’t feel good and thought he’d be lucky to make it to 70. Marcus always appreciated libraries but now Portage County Public Library is part of his daily routine... Read More

 

Welcome at the Library

Dale Connors was a chronic paranoid schizophrenic for most of the adult portion of his 53 years. He spent time at the Pinney branch of the Library, quietly reading. He must have felt welcome there, because he returned often... Read More

Materials for the Homebound

Homebound patron, Dora Waterman, says she could not exist if it weren’t for the public library. Dora has macular degeneration, and is somewhat hearing impaired as well. But she can listen, and now receives audiobooks from the public library through the mail... Read More

Quotables

My daughter is studying in India this year and uses her library card on a regular basis to download audiobooks and search Novelist and EbscoHost. EbscoHost has been an invaluable resource in her studies, and Novelist and Overdrive have sustained her as she tries to find and listen to English language literature (she is studying the Hindi language this year). She studies with students from all over the U.S. and Europe and loves to brag about the great resources that we have through the South Central Library System.

--Judy Collison, Oregon

At 5'1" I don't look like much of a construction worker. However, I'm a determined little bugger. This summer, due to a leak, our bathroom had to be redone. While my husband called contractors getting price quotes, I began demolition. As he waited for contractors to come over and see the situation, I went to the library. I brought home books on design, flooring, plumbing, tiling, and began reading. And before we could even get a contractor to look at our mess, I began putting our bathroom back together. Each night I would read and practice, and soon I was ripping up tile, laying down mortar board, slopping adhesive and grouting to my heart's content. I was replacing subfloor, and welding PVC pipe, and crossing my fingers that my work wouldn't come crashing down...and it didn't thanks to the resources at the public library. And as I finished I heard over and over, "I can't believe you did this. How did you learn how to do all of this." And I always replied, "Just go to your library and you can teach yourself anything!"

P.S....I do have a great opinion of libraries. I'm a media specialist at an elementary school.

-- Margene Anderson, Sun Prairie

 

Doing some non-profit work on a regular basis, I have found the librarians at Madison Public Library extremely helpful! Their efforts in helping me navigate the business reference section have been an enormous time saver! There has never been a single time that when I asked for help it did not come forth with a pleasant smile and a " Just ask if you need something else" comment! I consider myself most fortunate to have such competent and professional help available! Without a doubt, our community would suffer a huge vacuum in benefits without our public libraries and the people who work there to serve us so very well!

-- Frank Mullen, Madison

 

"I have been an avid reader for as long as I can remember. About a year ago I had a heart attack, and pretty much gave up on life. The next one about six months ago really scared me. As I am new to the area, my doctor insisted that I start walking. But where could I set a goal. My public library. I discovered the library was about 14 blocks from my house, and so I started walking. Slow progress, but each two weeks I added another block to my goal. I finally reached the library, and life opened up for me again! Not too long ago I moved, and it became impossible for me to get to the library again. I emailed the library after hearing there might a program that would deliver books to me and pick up the ones I had read. So in addition to getting a book 'buddy,' I now have a book 'family.' I feel so blessed that there are people willing to reach out to ones they do not even know, and lend us a hand."

-- Lois Longstreet, Marshfield

"We moved to Middleton about a year ago and I became a stay-at-home mom at the same time. My daughter and I found the library right away and love to come here quite often. It became a reason to get out of the house and we met other children and parents through the children’s story hour program. The children’s and parent events are a great way to meet other people in the community. Thanks Middleton Library for making the library such a warm welcoming place!"

-- Corinne Donner, Middleton

"Shortly after my daughter was born I was looking for ways for her to interact with other babies her age. I called around our area and found that Lodi Library had a storytime for babies! I started bringing her and found that she really enjoyed the stories, songs, music and crafts that Kristine Millard prepared weekly for the children. I remember it being her third or fourth time going to 'Book Babies' and she would kick her little legs in excitement and smile when we arrived. Little did I know I was building a love of books and reading into my child at such an early age. She recently started kindergarten and is reading at about a third-grade level. I know this was fostered in the weekly visits to the Lodi Library for storytime with Miss Kristine. Thank you Lodi Library for my child's great and fun start into learning to read."

-- Tara Freymiller, Lodi

"We are extremely grateful for not only your help but your patience and pleasant attitude in aiding two people with very limited knowledge of the technology! We would be over 3 months behind had it not been for your e-mailing the many business records from the Polk City Directory database."

-- Carol and Frank Mullen, Sun Prairie

 

"I wanted to say a big thank-you for providing the Morningstar investor research tool through the public library. It is a huge, huge benefit to folks like myself who want to get smarter about the whole subject, need reliable and unbiased advice, and can't afford most investment advising that's out there."

-- Jane S., Madison

 

"I checked the Morningstar service weekly. I liked looking up individual stocks, and they would give an excellent analysis and much information about the stock. I found that they were, by and large, up-to-date and made their reviews current... Thank you for getting the service on a trial basis."

-- Myron, Madison and Arizona

 

"I love this place -- a bookish oasis where you can spend hours without spending dollars, where there's no admission charge, where books are free for the borrowing and you can roam as far as your dreams will take you without ever leaving your seat. It's the Bernard Schwab Building, the downtown branch of the Madison Public Library."

-- Madison Guy (local blogger)

 

"The public library system is such an integral part of who I am, what I've accomplished, and what I enjoy about the world around me and beyond. There must be hundreds, onto thousands, of people in Madison/Dane County/Wisconsin who have had the same experience."

-- Norma Denbrook, Madison

 

"I wish I could do more to pay you back for all the enjoyment and learning Madison Public Library has provided for me. As long as I am able, I hope to continue taking advantage of the treasure we have in books."

- Bjarne Breilid, Madison (part of a story to the Foundation, published in full in Sequels Winter 2008)