Recent Fuss about Libraries

Just recently there has been an uprising of authors and readers in defense of libraries and their usefulness. It was caused by a successful author who is best known for his Horrible Histories series, Terry Deary.

He is quoted as saying libraries "have been around too long", are "no longer relevant" and that they've "had their day."  He believes they are a "drain on taxpayers and authors"

Of those who have responded to this I think Neil Gaiman's was one of my favorites when he stated that Deary was "selfish & stupid, short-sighted and sad" but "mostly selfish". John Scalzi also offered up his two-cents about libraries and how, in no small way, they have made him who he is.

Read about it here: http://whatever.scalzi.com/2013/02/23/a-personal-history-of-libraries/

On that note, I'd like share my first memory of being in a library and how libraries, like so many people have pointed out over the last week or so, have turned me into a reader.

It was in Grand Junction, Colorado, I was very young and in the 1st grade. I loved books back then, or rather, I loved to have books read to me. I wasn't fond of actually reading, but I loved the pictures. My teacher at school had read us a book called Even Steven and Odd Todd and I had loved it. I thought it was brilliant and I wanted it. I wanted to read it for myself. I asked my mom if she'd get it for me and she took me to the library. I had my heart set on that book, but to my disappointment the library didn't have it. I was told, however, that I could take home any book in the building. I remember looking around and thinking that that was a lot of books.

It wasn't until a few years later, during my sixth grade year that my love of reading exploded into a literary gorging of words. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone was the book that started it all, from there came all things Star Wars, I specifically remember reading Timothy Zahn's trilogy and loving every word. My dad then introduced me to Tom Clancy and Clive Cussler and I eventually found many. many more. I own a small bookshelf overfilled with books, the one's I could afford and some I probably couldn't but bought anyway. I have read, hundreds upon hundreds of books (if not thousands) and that would have been impossible for me to do so if it were not for the libraries.

I love libraries, they've helped shape me and they've done the same to countless others. I used to spend hours at the library reading, writing and studying. The library is home for those who seek knowledge, entertainment and access to things they otherwise don't have. I'm very thankful for libraries and librarians, even the grumpy ones who never seemed to like me, because they always had an answer or could find one, and were always brimming with great suggestions.

Read the original interview with Terry Deary here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2013/feb/13/libraries-horrible-histories-terry-deary