Opening a New Library

Recently, in our town, a library got a huge face lift.  They completely tore down and reconstructed The Spencer Road Library in St. Charles County.  The official grand opening ceremony was April 10.  So, the kids and I went for a visit.

My son returned saying it was as good as The Magic House (a children's museum in my city).  The girls were thrilled as if they had just come from Disney World.  The library is amazing.

There are nooks to read next to a fireplace.  There is a little vending-machine (with healthy choices) cafe' area, and their computer use center is large yet private.

One thing did strike me as funny, though.  Growing up I was always told that when in a library one should whisper.  So, a library was always associated with quiet and good manners.  Be on your best behavior somehow has been thrown out the window as libraries have tried to be more "hip" to the younger crowd of visitors.  And, it was evident when we came upon the new library's Quiet Reading Room.  There is now only one area of the library where you are truly expected to remain quiet, and it has shrunk.  It is one little corner room.

Regardless of the small quiet area, we have found our new favorite library.

I Love the Libray

I love the library!

I'll say it again - I love the library!

Keep in mind this is coming from someone who, for the large amount of her growing up, absolutely hated the library. I did not care for reading, and librarians seemed to hate me. No, it's true. They hated me for some unknown reason.

Once years ago, one of my friends came along with me to return an item. She had books to return as well. So, we went in. She dropped off her books, and I dropped off my item. My item happened to be a vinyl record album. I had placed the inside record securely inside its sleeve and turned the opening so the album would not fall out. I received a reprimand that I had not properly secured my item the way the library required (though, the way they secured it was not secure in the least, leaving the record to come rolling out upon tilting the cover). As I walked out of the doors, my friend gasped, "librarians really do hate you, don't they?" It was true.

Because of this, I have been determined to raise children who would fall in love with the library. We began when they were babies. The library had amazing programs called lapsit. It was fun. Sometimes it was more like a circus, trying to keep a baby from crawling out the door or screaming. Lapsit moved into Time for 2's and then storytime for preschoolers. From there, we are fortunate enough to have an amazing library that has plenty of programs for school-aged children as well.

Despite an occasional crabby librarian who has it out for me, I have managed to raise 3 children (so far) who absolutely beg to go to the library. We leave with numerous books, CD's, DVDs and more. We even hit our 100 book limit once upon a time (to our shock and dismay).

The library is a life saver for homeschoolers. And, it's become a place I enjoy now as well.

A Homeschool Badge Of Honor: I Reached My 100 Book Limit At The Library

I've been officially homeschooling for 5 years now and have been visiting the library with my children since my oldest was a baby. He is now 10, soon to be 11. In all this time of book checkouts and library visits, I never knew there was a limit placed on how many books you can check out. At one point I even asked and was told there was not a limit unless it was a special holiday book display. Then, today happened!

We trekked to the library today with all 3 children in tow and me really just wanting to do nothing more than return some books that were due and could not be renewed. But, being the book-loving homeschool family that we have become, of course my children wanted to check out some books. Some books turned into two bags filled with books. But, this is not unusual for us. What was unusual is that we were attempting to check out two bags filled with books but had not returned the equal amount as per usual. When we got to the checkout, after several books were successfully checked out, the librarian stopped and gasped, "Oh! You've reached your limit!" "Limit?" I asked. To which she explained that there is a 100 item limit. Who knew this? Did you know this? I did not until I was left standing in front of a librarian with several books yet to be checked out which now could not because of this limit I had reached.

Frantically, I began thumbing through the books for the one book my 4 year old had to have and then began handing her back books that I was quickly deciding we really did not need. As I stood there wondering how we could possibly have 100 books checked out. Before I had left that morning, I weeded through the books that were due, pulling out others that we would keep. The total left at my house only amounted to about 20 books. How could I have 100 books out? Something must have been wrong. She must have been mistaken.

But, no! When we returned home, my children ran into their rooms and began pulling out library books. So far, the count is only about 13 short of the 100 total. How did this happen? We really have 100 books in our house that belong to the library?

I left the library frustrated, in disbelief and almost angry. I arrived home to discover we truly do have 100 items checked out. Now, I somehow feel as though I have attained a badge of homeschooling honor. With all these books, we should be learning a bunch. "should be!" I hope we really are. And, now I will wear my newly awarded homeschool badge of honor proudly because I have attained a much deeper accomplishment today. See, as a child myself I hated to read. I really never completed a "real" book until my 10th grade year when I read Huckleberry Finn. So, when I had children, I was determined that they would not have this dislike for books as I had, so I began when they were babies and introduced them to books and to the library. Today, I feel like something I have chosen to do as a homeschooling parent was successful!