Library: Readers' Paradise And The Writer's Destination

February Is National Library Lovers Month

Read, Renew, Refresh

Libraries are a veritable gold mine of tales, knowledge, and experience!

Libraries are looking like sleeping spirits. Where angels will wait for us to take us to new worlds, which are unknown to us until then!!  

Do you remember your very first visit to a library? In school? In college? Or a public library? 

Which book did you pick up from the library to read for the first time?

As adults, we are comfortable with who we are, what movies we like, what music we listen and what our favorite books are. Yet, we hardly give much thought to how we came to those likes, and how we’ve been collecting memories and experiences while we are growing up!

The word "library" made me ponder on my personal experience with libraries, particularly those in my school and college days. I remember how welcoming those places were to me and how the vibrant, inviting stacks appeared. Some of my fondest childhood memories are found between the walls of libraries and the pages of books! 

 Libraries are much more than shelves filled with books, they’re a space for many warm memories or favorite places in our lives. 

Libraries store so many stories that fuels the imagination. They open up windows to the new world and inspire us to explore and achieve, and contribute ...for the betterment of our community. 

The library is a temple of knowledge, and knowledge has freed more people throughout history than all the battles combined. 

Do you remember your first visit of a library, and what book you have picked up first from that library shelf?

 What are your memories of visiting a library?

There’s a universal magic that binds readers across the globe: the captivating allure of a good book, and most importantly, the joy of reading itself!

Please share your initial library visit experiences, friends.

Edited by Viswasruti - 2 months ago

Here's a piece I wrote a few years ago. It's based on my personal experience, which I later adapted for the main character in my fanfiction..

As I stepped into the library, a wave of calm washed over me, the familiar scent of old books and polished wood greeting my senses. The soft rustle of pages turning and the faint murmur of voices created a soothing symphony, inviting me into a world of imagination.

I wandered through the aisles, running my fingers along the spines of books, each one a portal to a different world. The shelves towered above me, lined with stories waiting to be explored and adventures waiting to be embarked upon.

Finding a cozy nook tucked away in a corner, I settled into a plush armchair, the weight of a tome in my hands grounding me in the present while transporting me to distant lands. Lost in the world of words, time seemed to stand still as I devoured page after page, losing myself in the magic of storytelling.

Occasionally, I would glance up from my book, taking in the sight of fellow bibliophiles lost in their own literary journeys, each one a silent companion in this sanctuary of stories.

As the afternoon sun filtered through the windows, casting a warm glow over the library, I reluctantly closed the book, already longing for my next visit to this haven of imagination and discovery. With a contented sigh, I returned the book to its rightful place on the shelf, knowing that within these walls, adventure would always await.

Originally posted by: minakrish

Here's a piece I wrote a few years ago. It's based on my personal experience, which I later adapted for the main character in my fanfiction..

As I stepped into the library, a wave of calm washed over me, the familiar scent of old books and polished wood greeting my senses. The soft rustle of pages turning and the faint murmur of voices created a soothing symphony, inviting me into a world of imagination.

I wandered through the aisles, running my fingers along the spines of books, each one a portal to a different world. The shelves towered above me, lined with stories waiting to be explored and adventures waiting to be embarked upon.

Finding a cozy nook tucked away in a corner, I settled into a plush armchair, the weight of a tome in my hands grounding me in the present while transporting me to distant lands. Lost in the world of words, time seemed to stand still as I devoured page after page, losing myself in the magic of storytelling.

Occasionally, I would glance up from my book, taking in the sight of fellow bibliophiles lost in their own literary journeys, each one a silent companion in this sanctuary of stories.

As the afternoon sun filtered through the windows, casting a warm glow over the library, I reluctantly closed the book, already longing for my next visit to this haven of imagination and discovery. With a contented sigh, I returned the book to its rightful place on the shelf, knowing that within these walls, adventure would always await.

An enduring piece of writing on your visit of a library. Your choice of words and phrases displays your command over the language and is quite relevent.Each phrase permeates a strong hint of that specific place. Mrinalini, this is very beautifully written. 

Originally posted by: Viswasruti

An enduring piece of writing on your visit of a library. Your choice of words and phrases displays your command over the language and is quite relevent.Each phrase permeates a strong hint of that specific place. Mrinalini, this is very beautifully written. 

Thank you very much for your kind words, Madhuri! It was a pleasure to capture the essence of such a special place through language.

What a beautiful piece of writing, Mrina! You captured the feeling of visiting a library so well  🥰

Originally posted by: DreamOfEndless

What a beautiful piece of writing, Mrina! You captured the feeling of visiting a library so well  🥰

Thank you so much Tia!

Great initiative, Madz 🥰

I was addicted to books much before I visited a library. Thanks to my dad, I was a bibliophile and reading abridged versions of Dickens's novels by the time I was 7 or 8.

I don't remember how it was when I entered a library for the first time, but I pretty much wanted to read all the books from any genre whenever I entered a library. Much like the pic shared in the first post

Our school libraries had too many constraints regarding what books we were supposed to issue, I did not enjoy that. Rather, I thoroughly enjoyed whenever I went to public libraries with my dad, because he allowed me to take any book I wanted to read and explore at my own pace. Dad never said that a book was too difficult for my age. Instead he said I should use a dictionary if I did not understand something, and those days there were no digital dictionaries on figertips. Anyways, I listened to him and picked up any book that grabbed my interest and this really boosted confidence in the kid version of me. I would spend hours exploring genres and writers, cultivating my own taste and issuing books using my dad's library card.

My favorite memory as a kid, of a visit to a public library was when I had picked up the non-adbriged version of Great Expectations by Charles Dickens. I had read its abridged version before this and I was so happy to find the book that I had finished quite a few chapters of the book during my library visit itself. Today I wouldn't say I had understood every depth of the novel at that age, now I notice more depths when I revisit it; but now there is also faint joy of nostalgia on such re-reads.

These days I find it difficult to physically visit a library due to time constraints, but needless to say, how much thankful I am to the treasure trove of ebooks on the internet that are available these days.

Gorgeous piece of work, Mrina!

You captured the feeling of being in a library surrounded by books and that of holding a physical book in your hands, the pages rustling and losing yourself in the 'world of words' perfectly! 

I love libraries! Ever since I was a kid and my dad made me a member of this tiny circulating library in my neighbourhood. I would devour books when I had the chance and was quite a voracious reader back then. We were allowed to check out only 2 books at a time (very limiting), so I would rush in in the evenings to turn in the books and pick up fresh ones to have when I settled in to read late into the night - my favorite time to read uninterrupted. 

These days with the advent of e-books and Kindle, reading has become much easier. Though the joy of holding a physical book hits different, I must admit I enjoy the convenience of an e-book. My local library allows me to check out e-books on Libby and I can do that  from the comfort of my home and as soon as I'm finished with one book, I have another one ready to start! I still haven't been able to get into Audio Books though since I'm more of a visual learner and need to see the words in front of me to focus properly.

We have a wonderful public library system in the town I live, with a library for every community or a group of communities. And the central library in downtown is massive! An imposing structure with 4 floors and tons and tons of not just books but all sorts of resources. The libraries here are not just places where you can check out books, but they have tons of programs to engage the community and help newcomers feel a part of it. There are programs for every age group and they help in job search and building resumes as well. When I first moved here, the first thing I did was get a library membership and it's allowed me to never feel lonely in a strange, new place. Me and my kiddo have made so many friends just going out to the library and hanging out all day. And it's all free!

India really needs a public library system like we have here. It would be such a vital part of bringing the community together and fostering a love of reading and social engagement.

I think public libraries not just inculcate a love for reading, but also fuel it simply by the amount of material available at hand. You don't have to spend a ton of money buying books and you can just indulge in your reading habits. I may have instilled a love of reading in my kiddo but I believe it's the library system here that fueled it and now she cannot do without a book. 

Years ago I tried to start my own circulating library in my community in India (the building complex where i lived), encourage people to donate books & it was successful to an extent but not as much as I'd like. I had also joined a library there called JustBooks that would deliver books to your doorstep which was super convenient. I think JustBooks exists even now but the thing is - it's a paid service and not everyone can afford to or want to get into a regular paid membership kind of thing. That brings me back to my point of public libraries being the need. Funding would be an issue but if NGOs got together and the government gave some grants, it could be doable. 

And I went on a rant. Thanks, Madhu for creating the topic.

Happy Library Month, everyone! 

Edited by LizzieBennet - 2 months ago

Such a brilliant piece of writing, Tia! Charles Dickens was one of my favorite author growing up as well.