Earlier this month I shared with you a website designed to arm you with beauty tips for all those holiday parties. But now, I'm promoting a geekier side. That's right. I'm introducing you to a site that is all about waving that geek banner with pride. Geek The Library is a non-profit library cooperative whose goal is to raise awareness in and support of our libraries. This little experiment with a small selection of states is funded by a grant from the biggest geek of them all, Bill Gates.
It doesn't take a lot of time to visit their site. It arms you with facts you already know. It motivates you to be supportive of your library locally within your community. And it reminds you that you really need to give back - of your time, your support, your voice, your commitment - to the place that originally inspired you, provided you with all that you needed, and did so for free.
Go get that library card. Borrow books instead of buying them. Make a donation in dollars or in time by volunteering at your library's fundraisers. Remind people in your community that a library is more than a place to borrow books. It provides access to free internet, job search and resume assistance, second language courses, children's activities, workshops, guest speakers, art displays, contests, movies, meeting spaces and friendly faces.
The library is my best friend in our community. It is innovative - allowing late fines to be repaid with donations to the local food bank during the holidays. It is active - with book mobiles reaching those who cannot come to it. It is vital. I geek my library. How about you?
12 comments:
I. LOVE. The library. As a kid I spent most of my waking moments at the library during summer vacation. I rocked the adult reading room as a 10-year-old.
I'm sure I told you I was reading Sidney Sheldon and Jackie Collins (so salacious) back then and the librarian constantly asked me if my parents knew what I was reading. They did. They just didn't pay attention.
I always told her to go ahead and call them. She never did.
Anyway, now my kids love the library as well. In fact, the librarian just asked me, "Do you come here every day?" and I said, "I try to. I love the library."
Amen and support the libraries of the USA!
I geek my library too, despite one or two communist tendencies where they accused me of stealing/losing an audiobook CD! I've probably told you this before, but our library allows you to order books online and they deliver to your door...for free! They have a cafe, which the kids and I frequent on days off, have live string quartets and exhibitions on dinosaur bones, author appearances and great sales. We heart them!
The library has been a huge part of my life since discovering it at the age of 8 when a friend's dad took us. I was in awe then and I still am. It's the world's (namely Andrew Carnegie) greatest gift to mankind.
AMEN!!!I am biased toward libraries on many levels. Ours offers story hours for toddlers through 5th grade; anime, scrabble and movies for 6th and up; adult reading groups. The list is endless...And the people are awesome! None of the reference librarians or circulation people is ever too busy to answer a question, and they do it smiling. The library supports local charities too--as well as the schools. Libraries are very cool places to be; I've used and abused my card here for 24 years, and the CS since the age of five. We adore our library!
(full disclosure: yes, I am now on the lowest rung of my library's employment ladder...but I would boost this project no matter what; libraries offer references and opportunities that no bookstore--and I love them too--can match.)
I have not been to a library in years!!
I need to find one in my new town and go :)
Thanks for the site :)
Great post and a great cause. We find a library wherever we go. They are usually the best people we will find in a community. Going to the library every week is one of my earliest memories and one of the greatest gifts my parents gave me.
We are wintering here in Sonoma County, (Northern California) where they have run out of money in the library budget. To solve the problem they are shutting down everything from Christmas Eve until January 4. Everything includes the website, the book drop in addition to all the buildings. So no one can go online and request a book or return a book. None of the library staff will be paid during this time. I believe they were trying to send a strong message. I got it. I'm trying to figure out what I can do about it. The Geek the Library website is a great place to start.
Honestly, the public library totally transformed society. Suddenly everyone had access to books. They're an incredible and wonderful resource!
We live in a teeny community in Northern Alberta and there are no bookstores for HUNDREDS of miles. Before moving here we spend most of our disposable income on books. We completely depend on and LOVE our teeny tiny library. They are great about ordering books in for us. I don't know what we would do without a library, I really don't.
The Bear and I are at the library at least once per week. We couldn't get by without it! We're doubly fortunate because all the RI libraries are linked. One library card will let you check out from any public library. You can also make requests online for materials from all over the state.
I geek my library every chance I get. I always have a stack of books, DVDs, CDs, etc on checkout from the library. When I decided to divest myself of my 4,000 book personal library, I sold some on Amazon for pocket money and donated 33 boxes to my local library!
A few years back I lived across the street from the library. I'd pick an author and read everything he/she had out, and then move on to the next. Wow, I sure read a ton of books that year lol
My kids love the library. I'm thrilled to have passed on my love of books to them.
Happy Holidays, my friends.
I'm a library lover too, not surpising since I am still employed by them as a sub!
I think it's very cool that you can pay fines to the food bank during this time of yeat. How wonderful!
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