I was, as my Canadian friends say, simply gobsmacked to realize what lay in store for me when I go to the library in a few short days. In preparation I got on the library’s website to try to figure out if a few of the books I hoped might be available were indeed there. I was lost and confused and had to call the library for help in navigating the site. The librarian couldn’t have been nicer and stepped me through the process from logging into the site with the library card I got last year and only used once, my previous card lost years before. Amazingly the top 3 books I wanted to get were available in the system but at other branches. They will be at my branch by Monday or Tuesday. After helping me with a number of other things, explaining this and that, and even, when I explained that it was hard for me to go out which was why I hadn’t been back since I got the card last year, told me about the service now that would deliver the books I wanted right to my front door! I told her that that was very nice but it was important for me to get out, that I really wanted to come. After we got off the phone I returned to the site. I was simply dazzled.
The library system for New Hanover County is vast, there are 4 branches, and the one that is closest to me, though about a 20 minute drive away, is one of the nicest ones, quite lovely, and large. I spent some time on the site and put several books on hold. They all have to be delivered to my branch and when they are I will make my first trip out. The books I have on hold are:
A memoir by Anna Quindlen: Lots of Candles, Plenty of Cake
The Stranger In The Woods: The Extraordinary Story Of The Last True Hermit, by Michael Finkel
The first in a mystery series highly recommended by my dear friend Katya who loves these books — Murphy’s Law, A Molly Murphy Mystery by Rhys Bowen
The two books I wanted most of all this first trip, the last two books in The Seaside Knitters mystery series by Sally Goldenbaum, Murder At Lambswool Farm and Murder Wears Mittens
And the books I am so delighted to be getting I just can’t tell you because I have wanted to check them out for years, the Moomintroll children’s books by Tove Jansson, Finn Family Moomintroll, Moominpappa’s Memoirs, and Tales From Moominvalley, (There are more Moonintroll books and they are in the system but I didn’t want to get them all at once!) and most especially, and I’m so excited to get it, a book of short stories by Tove Jansson called The Summer Book
There were SO many other books I wanted to put on my list but, even though I could have checked out 25 and in years past I would have — I used to carry a big cardboard box to cart home my library books — I wanted to only check out what I could read, even if I have to renew them which I can do online, and I can keep them for 3 weeks.
Having done this I explored the website more thoroughly and my jaw dropped when I saw all that it held. First of all you can suggest that they purchase a specific book and of course you are not guaranteed that they will buy it but there is another book of stories by Tove Jansson that I have wanted badly to read, it’s been on my Wish List at amazon for some time, and I put the suggestion to purchase in at the library. The book is The Woman Who Borrowed Memories: Selected Stories.
I then spent over an hour perusing the website. I could not believe that our library system has a Pinterest page, is on Instagram, on Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, YouTube and more! And then I clicked on a tab called “Read and Write.” I simply could not believe my eyes. Here it had 3 sections:
* Design your own books, newsletters, poetry, novels, and any other written content in digital and print ready formats using Pressbooks
* Authors, submit your eBook to SELF-e to have it showcased in the Indie North Carolina Statewide Collection while retaining all rights to your work. Readers across the state can discover your work with the potential for national exposure.
Submit your book to SELF-e now!
* Discover local content from self-published authors, top indie eBooks, titles from the Homegrown collection, and so much more.
Well dang… I can self-publish through the library’s tools! And so much more. I had no idea!
There are so many resources, booklists, bookclubs, research resources, an amazing assortment of digital books that you can download right from the website which I still can’t figure out how to do and the librarian told me it’s easiest to bring your kindle once and the librarian in charge of the digital books will get you set up and then you can download them right from your computer at home! Well, I never!
I cannot believe I have waited this long to go back to the library. I have already started a list of books I want to read in my account on the website. Not yet ready to put them on hold but nice to keep track of them there. I had planned on going Monday, and I might be able to, but I need to wait until they arrive at my branch from the others and Tuesday will be fine too. I’m so glad I looked into this and got several of the books I wanted. This is all so amazing to me.
So Sunday I will shyly venture out to the Stitch and Bitch meetup at the yarn shop downtown in the historic district, and the beginning of the week I will venture out to the library. Doing these two things is, while I realize some people would laugh at them holding such weight to me, huge forays out into the world for me. I feel bold and brave, even while my knees are knocking. And something else I want to do when I am out Sunday, something I did for years and years and years but haven’t in some time, I am going to stop at the store and buy myself a copy of The Sunday New York Times. This was a ritual of mine for so long except in those days I would go to Barnes and Noble on Sundays, buy the paper, get a latte, and spread the paper out on my table and just get lost in it. I would read the Sunday Times all week long, especially loving The Book Review. I am returning to books, to literature, to reading, and I am off late night news watching but I want to know what’s going on in the world. This will be perfect for me. And I so miss holding a real newspaper in my hands. I don’t care about the local paper but The Sunday New York Times… there’s a paper to dream about.
I am tiptoeing out into the world, a little at a time, and it is thrilling. I have no idea what will happen next, and I don’t need to know, but I now know this — when you open a door, even a little crack, anything might find it’s way in. I am, surprisingly, finding myself ready. And I am in awe. I do want to be part of the world afterall, whatever that might mean for me.
The Experiment ~A 365 Day Search For Truth, Beauty &
Happiness: Day 1 ~ Introduction To The Project
“Do or do not. There is no try.”
Yoda
Brilliant post, Maitri. Hooray for you for making truly giant steps. Our library is only a few blocks away and is one of my big pleasures in life. And at night, when I finish a book, can’t sleep, and don’t want to turn on the light and bother Robin, I grab my iPad, go onto the library site, and download a book. Ah…the pleasures!
I’m in major on-the-job training as a grandparent so won’t be online very much for quite a while. What a privilege it is!
Ah dear Cathryn I am thrilled and amazed finding the library again now, a whole new kind of library than the one I knew years ago. Yes indeed what an amazing resource it is!
And enjoy your grandchildren. I know they are going to be there for a long time, 2 years? I hope you are finding time just for you too amid all the glorious madness and chaos that may ensue! 😀
Take care honey…
Maitri
oh maitri, what a delightful post today. we are all clapping our hands with glee.
why not suggest your library buy Prison Wisdom? Just a thought. they can look it up on my website: creativeartsandhealing.com click on prison wisdom
we all cannot wait to hear about your sunday knit club meeting and your trip next week to the library. we know this “novel” of yours (this blog-novel) could one day be
a BOOK you self-publish thru the resources at your library — i mean, dear, it is a riveting account of a woman who goes thru comedy and tragedy and high and low and all around and always comes out right side up. without meds!!! And inspires all of your readers to trust their own inner knowing and keep on truckin!
xoxo
ka
Thank you dear Katya and yes, of course, brilliant! I will put in a request that they purchase Prison Wisdom. Of course you have no guarantee that they will buy a book you request, they make that clear, but I will surely request that they do.
And as I’ve said I have no idea what will happen as a result of this 365 day experiment but I think something will come of it. It will be interesting to see just what that will be. I just keep on keeping on, show up, write the post, and continue to ride the waves of my life and see where they take me. It will be interesting to see where I end up!
And keep on truckin’ indeed! 😀
M. xoxox
I also went to the library for the first time in a great many years got my card and placed a hold on a book Plum Lucky. they were so very sweet and called me Monday to say my book was in and would be waiting for me.
Charlie drove me in and there was a group of toddlers and parents for story hour. up and down in the chairs and i just happened in when they were about to get snacks.. There was several shouting what they wanted. Another girl maybe 4 years old said she wanted water and rush up as a gal my age said wait i will help you. but of course what 4 year old would wait she was in filled the glass with water and walked out just as her granny got there.
I got home and explored the website for ebooks but none that I wanted .. I prefer turning paper pages myself.
Our library is part of the northern new york state system of libraries.
I do miss the due cards .. seems they stopped using them in 2005 🙁
I am so glad you had such a positive time as I too did.
Ah Julia isn’t it an amazing thing to finally find your way back to the library? And it’s a whole new world there today. And I love paper books but I have come to really enjoy both kindle books and audio books. All different parts of the reading experience for me. But for now I am really looking forward to checking out books I can hold and curl up with. I think we will both have a lovely summer of reading and going to the library. Enjoy! 🙂
Maitri it all sounds so exciting, it feels as if we’re all going with you! What a great way to self-publish, maybe you’ll do that one day. xxx
Jenny you ARE all coming with me! 😀
And yes, I think self-publishing has always been coming, I’ve self-published through small presses often in my life, this will be a whole new way and when the time is right I think it will be a wonderful option!
Libraries are magical places, and in the digital age, even more amazing! A wonderful post.
Aren’t they Lisa? 🙂 And thank you. I am simply in awe of everything I am finding out about libraries today… just in awe.
Oh Maitri I am jumping up and down with excitement with you discovering your library! What a wonderful gift you are giving your dear self! Does your library have RGB so you can borrow magazines? Ours does. I love magazines and they are FREE.
I didn’t know about the self publishing. Now I’m going on our library site and see what else they have to offer that I didn’t know about.
I love the NY Times book reviews too.
Oooh have fun and let us all know how wonderful it was for you going there and to your Stitch and Bitch meetup too.
Much Love, Jean
Thank you dear Jean, I am excited too! 🙂
And I don’t know what RGB is? And yes, check your library’s resources out, it’s a whole new world out there! And I will keep you posted. Goodness, who knows what will come next?
Hugs,
Maitri
Sorry it is RB Digital where I can check out magazines and read them online.
I couldn’t find anything about self-publishing on our library page. I will ask.
Hugs, Jean
Okay, thanks Jean, I’d never heard of that. And I don’t know how widespread the publishing aspect in in library systems. We didn’t used to have that here but it’s been years since I’ve been to the library. I was amazed to see it!
That was such a lovely post. My husband always tells me to go to the library when I say that I have no friends here in this place (after living here for 4 years) and maybe I’ll meet friends there. I’ve not ventured there even though it’s not far. I used to spend so much time at the library near my family home when I was growing up. I’d check out armloads of books, and read them all. Books are magic. You have an amazing variety that you read. As I said, it’d be so great if you put together a book list, or a suggested reading list for us that just don’t know what to read. So proud of you my friend. You’re taking amazing steps and adventures into the world!
Thank you so much dearheart, and yes I am very excited about these books. The library is a treasure trove and it is indeed magic! I do hope you’ll go. It’s a whole different world at the library today and you can get eBooks for your kindle or phone, magazines and newspapers to read via same, and all kinds of resources. I was delighted to be there! I will share the books here in these posts as I did here… 🙂