We here at Storytime have a special place in our hearts for Libraries. In fact, exploring the wonders to be found there was a formative childhood experience for all of us.
We believe that libraries are magical places, which is why we feature them so often in our stories. For example, check out the enchanted Library in Issue 50’s ‘The Sorcerer’s Apprentice’ or the Beast’s amazing book collection in Issue 31’s ‘Beauty and the Beast’.
With libraries opening up again in a number of different ways, here are just some of the reasons why you should love your local library…
1. Books, books, and more books!
We make sure that each issue of Storytime is packed with fun and varied reading material, but let’s face it: voracious readers will go through a magazine in a week or less, leaving them hungry for more!
Libraries are a treasure-trove of reading material – fiction and non-fiction, magazines and periodicals. (Most libraries also have graphic novels and manga for the comics junkie in the family.)
Go to your local library, where innumerable worlds are waiting to be discovered… and it won’t cost you a penny -unless you rack of late fees, of course!
2. Librarians know it all!
Librarians are one of the world’s unappreciated treasures! They aren’t just there to shelve books – they are highly trained professionals with degrees in Library Science. It’s their vocation to make information accessible to people – people just like you! Think of them as like Google, but friendlier.
Librarians are generally fast readers who feel a professional duty to keep up to date on what people are reading, and an acquisitions librarian has likely read every book that they buy for the library! So, if you want to get information or recommendations about what to read, a librarian is your best bet.
A quick note: not ALL staff at a library are librarians! Clerks and assistants help out with shelving and checking out books, but they can be very knowledgeable too.
3. A library is a community hub
Their noticeboard is a great place to find out about local groups and events, and the library can also serve as a venue for meetups. For example, my local library sets aside tables for the local Scrabble club meetup on Saturday afternoon. Why not drop by and see what’s going on?
4. Do it for the kids
Libraries do their best to help develop new generations of readers. Many libraries have specially decorated spaces for kids and run activities for them. ‘Rhyme Time’ sessions are particularly popular. These rhyming and singing sessions are for children aged 0-3 and are very popular – some are so in-demand that you need to book tickets for sessions in advance!
Teens aren’t left out, either – larger libraries often have a ‘Teen Zone’ with books and magazines to appeal to that age group, along with all-important wifi and USB charging facilities.
So next time you’re in town and feel like a break from the hurly-burly of the High Street, why not pay an enriching visit to your unique and irreplaceable local library?
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