Do You Feel Lucky?

(and feel free to comment! My older posts are certainly no less relevant to the burning concerns of the day.)

Friday, February 27, 2015

"Library Card"

I think books in libraries are happier than a lot of other books. They have a secure, hopeful sort of life. And while the stacks and shelves of bookstore books anxiously flaunt their covers and thrust their spines at the public, hoping to be browsed and bought, the books at the library can rest easy. "This is my home. I am so glad I have a home! So happy to be stamped 'Property Of' and fitted with my inside vest pocket for the date-card. Oh, it's empty now, we've all got bar codes - but it's a snazzy accessory nonetheless!

"If someone picks me up to borrow and read, I'll be happy! I like to visit, and for people to get to know me - but I love knowing that here is where I belong and will always return. Back to my same happy spot on the shelf, favored by the afternoon sun. Ready to be read by any and all, but happy and content. Just where I am!"

The bookstore book, on the other hand, has a certain forced-cheerful near-desperate look to it sometimes. "Hi! Hi! Hello! A lot of people love me, I could be found very interesting if you give me a chance. I won the prestigious Geathers Book Award! In 2006. Oh, dear."

I try to rescue as many of those as possible.

Then once I've read through, if it's one I can live without keeping on my shelf - I'll donate it to the library! Where it can be happy and secure, be content and be read. Sometimes I'll even bump into one of my books again, at the library.

Which can be a little bit awkward, though.

3 comments:

dogimo said...

I liberated this little love letter from a much more rambling 2009 post:

All that for one book?

Some other fun stuff in that post, but this little bit was just peeking out demanding attention!

Chicken Maker said...

It's just as good the second time.

dogimo said...

Why thank you J Groves!

I love books, and will miss them when they're gone. If they go, I should say. I hope we're not so short-sighted as to let all our key information migrate to forms that need a power source! What if the polar icecaps reverse? What if the satellites come crashing down, and all our batteries turn into beetles? Then what? Books!

We'll be thrown back on books. Anyway, J, civilization will rise again don't you worry about it.