Libraries
I’ve had a Chicago Public Library card since kindergarten (acquired at the old Archer Heights branch - a small storefront). Before that, my mom used to take me to story time at the Brighton Park branch. Before we had an internet connection at home, I used to go to the library to use the computers. When I had a research paper to write in high school, I buckled down at the Harold Washington.
The reason I love libraries is that they provide services and materials FOR FREE. Everyone who knows me knows I love the word “free.” If there’s a movie in theaters you kind of want to see but don’t want to pay for and you don’t pay for DVDs on Netflix (and it’s not available to stream), you can head on down to your library and check it out! The nice thing about that is you can go look at the collection at your local library and see a new movie that you forgot about, never heard of, has an interesting cover or you’ve been searching for forever and never thought you’d find at the library. Movies, CDs, books, microfiche…what more could you ever want? Oh, you want eBooks? They have those too (in ePub format. Sorry kindles).
Lest we forget, The Chicago Public Library also has museum passes you can take out to get into museums and zoos for free. The CPL has branches in pretty much every Chicago neighborhood, so one is never too far away. In addition to checking out items for free, you also get free smells. Not only do you get that old book smell, but you sometimes get to experience the smell of people at the library. people who haven’t bathed in a while. That one is not so pleasant, but it happens. And it shows the library does not discriminate! (Unless you “have neglected your bodily hygiene so that it gives offense and constitutes a nuisance to other patrons”).
The library is the best place to see your tax dollars at work. And the employees are some of the nicest city workers ever! I can really only speak for the Chicago Public Library system as it’s the only one I’m really familiar, but I’m sure most library systems (at least in the midwest and northeastern regions of the U.S.) are similar. Let’s all celebrate the library by keeping money in our wallets and checking out some classical music CDs. Thumbs up to Libraries. Cheesy blog close: read, learn, discover.
