In a Library

Libraries are one of my favorite things. I love the feel of a room or building devoted completely to housing books and the stories those books in turn are a home for. My dream house will have its own library with stacks and stacks of my favorite books, vintage globes, turquoise bookshelves, vases of beautiful flowers, comfy chairs, colorful chandeliers and scarves hanging from floor lamps. Kinda like a gypsy library.

This article was sent to me by oedb.org and is titled, "15 Libraries Taking Summer Reading to the Next Level" and can be found here.

When all three of us lived at home during the summer which now hasn't happened for two years, we would have contests to see who could read the greatest amount of books. It was always interesting to see what the three of us would read individually. My mom and I tend to read similar books and Brytten reads biographies of her icons; Ava Gardner, Marilyn Monroe, Goldie Hawn. Oh and there was that summer I read every book Tom Brokaw has ever written...

As college students that face nine months of reading materials selected for us and having a minute amount of time for leisure reading, I think its important that we use our summer months to catch up on the stories we want to immerse ourselves in. This list compiles libraries across the country that have set out to cater to the summer reading desires of adult readers.

Here are my favorite things about each library included in this list:

Framingham Public Library
This library leads a reading competition much like the one we all did around third grade. Adult readers can log the amount of books they read, chosen completely on their own and the final prize is a Kindle. I love a good, healthy reading competition!

The Charles H. Stone Memorial Library
This library has a summer reading program for younger readers. I am a big fan of the program they have instigated because it combines reading and also the joys of summer that are unique to those three great months. Besides just reading, the young readers participating in this program can participate in a mobile space lab, yoga classes, magic shows and other fun activities designed especially for tween and teen readers.

Pima County Public Library
This library also has interactive activities for readers of every age. There are over 100 activities for its reading program participants to engage themselves with including learning more about native plants, taking photos, painting landscapes, cardio kung fu and younger kids can enjoy juggling shows, story time, and rocket-building activities.

Metropolitan Library System
Like the previous libraries this library also combine creativity-boosting activities in conjunction with reading like fiends. Activities include magic shows, steampunk-themed exhibits, business buidling classes, wizard rock shows (I have to admit, I am not entirely sure what that would be...), and a gnome hunt. A gnome hunt?? How can that not be fun?!

New Orleans Public Library
I am a big fan of all things New Orleans and it is one of my favorite cities I have traveled to so I was delighted to see it included on the list. Following the trend, this library promotes fun hands-on-learning-without-realizing-you-are-learning activities. But what is most impressive is that it boasts 500 teens and a whopping 3,260 kids signed up to participate in the summer reading program. 

Newton Country Library
This library has a unique system set up to encourage summer reading. Kids can sign up and pledge to read at least 15 minutes a day. When I read the pledge part I envisioned a secret readers handshake. Winner then receive free books and gift certificates. The library also brings in storytellers and kids can journey to the library to read under the stars, which I absolutely adore.  

Indianapolis Public Library
Ok I love everything about this library. Their program is called Gear Up for Good and is open to readers as young as toddlers. Go them! The program includes a children's book blog suggesting recommended books and most impressively an earn-and-learn program to help youngsters pay off library debt. Which would have been nice for Brytten and I when we were little as I am pretty sure we are now thousands of dollars in debt to the Sioux Falls Public Library because the books we checked out about 13 years ago are still dwelling in my bedroom. 

Fort Worth Public Library
I really like this library's attempt to combine fine arts in young readers. Their program not only encourages reading, obviously but also brings a jazz festival and art exhibits to the library. Way to go having all their bases covered. 

Harris County Public Library
The summer reading program at this library saw a humongous 81% jump in participation in the last year. This program encourages participants to utilize a ReaderNation blog to get suggestions for reading materials and then share their thoughts on the selections. They can even sign up with a personal reading consultant which I may have to add to my list of dream jobs. 

Clermont County Public Library
Their summer reading program's theme is "Read: Morning, Noon, and Night." Simply awesome.

Findlay Hancock County Public Library 
Like most of the other libraries in this list, this library combines other art forms along with the great art of reading. But these activities include scrapbooking, jewelry making and basket weaving. I love that!

New York Public Library
The mega-famous library has 23,000 registrants that can participate in awesome-ness like chess games, films, video games, and knitting circles.  

Brytten and I at the New York Public Library five years ago

Aiken County Public Library
This library is motivated to get the whole family involved in summer reading and has instigated programs including admiring creatures from the local River Ecology Lab, a Star Wars family fun night (ok, the three of us wouldn't have found that too fun...), an abstract painting class (that we would have found fun), and puppet shoes. 

Seattle Public Library
Summer readers in Seattle can take part in movie nights, grown-up story times, operatic performances, readings, and lectures on science and literature topics. 

San Antonio Public Library
Teen readers in this summer reading program can share reviews and make reading suggestions online. Maybe they will become future bloggers. Most impressively, and what makes this library probably the best on the list is their free lunch program which invites underprivileged kids to eat lunch, enjoy a book and take part in a community program. 

Spear-y

This is the first year in three years that my mom, Brytten and I have spent Christmas in Spearfish. And it was wonderful. I spent these six days with my wonderful family, riding horses, working in the shop with my grandpa, tending to the chickens and the ducks, wrapping presents, eating cookies, running in my new sneaks, watching movies, becoming obsessed with How I Met Your Mother and thus telling Abbie to "Suit Up."

Spearfish Creek 

 I rode John's new horse, Chico and Jackie's horse, Sven and now am determined to own my own horse someday. Pictures of horses have been added to my 'dream book' from Jackie.

After my mom made a simple comment about needing a button for one of her projects my grandpa got up from the table and went out to his shop. He came back carrying a big white cement bucket and made us guess what was in it. The guesses included cement, baby ducks, and eggs. False. The huge bucket was filled with buttons and he purchased the whole thing at an auction.

While my grandpa and I were working in the shop on Christmas Eve for about a ba-jillion hours we came across the box that holds the cradle that all new babies in the family sleep in. He pointed it out to me and then asked if I still plan on using it. Good grief.

Spearfish Creek 

During a convo between my grandpa and I, we expressed the fact that we are each other's favorite people.

Spearfish Creek 

Today I stole the mini-van, blasted the road trip cd's I made and drove around my favorite town. I stopped at the Green Bean like I did nearly everyday this summer, went downtown and made a few purchases and then walked around the park. I strolled over to the fish hatchery and found it humorous that besides being a PA, my favorite job I have ever had was working at a fish hatchery.

One of my purchases was a future-teacher present for Abbie and this wonderful old book that will eventually go in my library.

Words on a Page

Today is Augie's Reading Day and instead of reading my Mass Media Law book I would much rather read from the selections and piles of books all over my room!

Reading Roundup

I mentioned my most recent purchase in the previous post, Roundup, but I decided it needed its own moment in the sun! It is truly lovely and I am determined to find the following books in addition to this version which is Book One. Reading Roundup is a child's reading guide that is filled with stories and poems and pictures about people, animals and adventures. The inside cover is inscribed in blue ink, 'Beach School 1959.' There is even a ballerina on the back cover!

This book seems to be an introduction to the greatness of literature for young readers. The table of contents is divided into the following subheads: Ourselves and Others, Animal Parade, Looking Backward, Let's Play the Game, Unforgettable People, Just for Fun, In Quest of Adventure, Modern Marvels, and The American Way. Some of the notable contributing authors include Robert Frost, Charles Lamb, Emily Dickinson, Laura Ingalls Wilder (my personal favorite), Mark Twain, Carl Sandburg, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Walt Whitman. One excerpt that I am very excited to read is entitled The Laurence Boy and is listed as a radio play by Walter Hackett and adapted from Little Women by Louisa May Alcott.

On the division page of Ourselves and Others is this poem by Elizabeth Madox Roberts from "The People."

The ants are walking under the ground, 

And the pigeons are flying over the steeple, 

And in between are the people. 

The division page of Animal Parade has this poem by George Eliot...

Animals are such agreeable friends- 

they ask no questions, they pass no criticisms. 

The division page for Looking Backward features a perfect poem by Soren Kierkegaard for the title of the section. 

Life can only be understood backwards; 

but it must be lived forwards.

The division page of Let's Play the Game features a two-page illustration in blues and whites of sailboats in the sea and numerous people standing on a dock and the following line from John Masefield from "Biography."

The days that make us happy make us wise. 

I was quite delighted to read the quote on the division page of Unforgettable People because it was written by Rosemary and Stephen Vincent Benet in A Book of Americans, which I also own.

We couldn't put in all the great

Or even all the small,

And many names with sterling claims

We haven't used at all. 

The quote featured on the division page of Just for Fun is by the literary great, William Shakespeare in The Taming of the Shrew.

And frame your mind to mirth and merriment,

Which bars a thousand harms and lengthens life. 

The division page of In Quest of Adventure presents the poem by John Vanderbilt in "Highways and Byways." And I LOVE it!

Oh, you may take a highway,

A wide, straight highway,

A fine cement highway, 

For yourself.

But give me a byway, 

A rutted, narrow byway, 

A turning, wooded byway, 

For myself.

I love the poem by Nancy Byrd Turner in "Sic Transit" on the division page of Modern Marvels as well!

My grandson's grandson somewhere in the rack 

Of time will wake one night, and hear below

The levels where the winking air-lines glow

A rumble like a beetle on its back,

And smile, and bless the last old motorcar

Rattling to join the horse and dinosaur. 

Again I was elated to open to the division page of The American Way and who do I see? George, Thomas, Teddy, and Abe! The poem on this page was written by Abraham Lincoln.

As I would not be a slave, so I would not be a master.

This expresses my idea of democracy. 

Whatever differs from this, to the extent of the difference,

is no democracy. 

502 pages of literary and future library loveliness. 

And it only cost me $5.30

Library Inspiration

Yes, several of my posts lately have been about the library I will one day have in my house. Well, here is another! This past St. Patrick's Day my friend Kaycee and I went to a Lady Gaga concert in Omaha and then we took the next day off as a early spring break present to ourselves and did some power shopping through Omaha. Old Market is one of my favorite places to shop, eat, and walk on a cobble stone street. During this trip I was finally able to check out a book store that I had passed during several previous trips to Omaha.

This store was glorious. Every inch was covered in books and even the floor had stacks of book. There was a single aisle that only one person could walk through at a time. Random chairs were placed between shelves and these chairs usually held a few books as well. There were also a few books that had been deliberately displayed to show the cover. I bought a beautiful vintage book about a dog and took an assortment of photos. As I was searching through my photo library I found these pictures and decided they need a spot on my blog. I hope one day my library somewhat resembles this store. I love how the colors were all natural and most of the palette came from the covers of the books. It smelled like books too. If Yankee Candle made a book-scented candle I would certainly buy it. Hell, I would even buy the car air freshener. This store was for books and books only which is rarely the case anymore. That statement is somewhat hypocritical because I strolled through the store with coffee from Scooters in my hand.

A Lovely Book

Summer is the best reading season. You can read which ever books you want to read and the best part is you can read them while swaying in a hammock and eating a popsicle.

One of my favorite books is "The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society." I read it for the first time last summer and then of course made a lot of my friends and their moms read it as well. It is composed entirely of letters between the main character Juliet, a writer, who is interested in potentially writing a book about the effects the German Occupation had on the tiny island of Guernsey in the English Channel during World War II. The letters are between her and her editor, her best friend, and the residents of Guernsey who founded the literary society. It is truly lovely and is a book about loving books. I have decided that I will read it every summer and when I have my own library in my house someday it will receive a special spot on my bookshelf. I will also visit Guernsey at some point in my life.

During this second reading, I underlined some of my favorite passages that exemplify why books are so wonderful.

Perhaps there is some secret sort of homing instinct in books that brings them to their perfect readers. 


Men are more interesting in books than they are in real life.


Am I in love with him? What kind of a question is that? It's a tuba among the flutes, and I expect better of you. 


I think you learn more if you're laughing at the same time. 


Do you live by the river? I hope so, because people who live near running water are much nicer than people who don't. I'd be mean as a scorpion if I lived inland. 


Lovely.