My love of the library started as a child with weekly trips to our local library in Littleton, NH. My parents would take turns reading to us each night. My father was a library trustee and read voraciously - giant thick tomes on many subjects. With this inspiration and upbringing, it’s no wonder I loved to read.
As a child, I read things like Miss Piggle Wiggle, Box Car Children, and Nancy Drew – I bet some of your older readers will remember these titles! As a teenager, I worked as a librarian in charge of the children’s room and conducted weekly Storytime for little ones. I planned to study library science, but life took another course: marriage and children. However, when my father passed away, our Corey family funded the complete renovation of the children’s room at the library in his memory. The picture shows my siblings and me holding some of our childhood favorites at that dedication.
As a mother and daycare provider living in Brunswick, I walked with my children to the local library and brought home loads of books – some old favorites and new finds.
I must admit there were many years when I did not read as my career, and home life took my time. I did listen to books on CDs anywhere I went. And now Libby is my new best friend in the car. Who can resist the readers’ voices, accents, and intonations that add so much to the stories? Most recently, I listened to author Adriana Trigiani read a couple of her Big Some Gap series – what fun!
When my husband became ill, there were many hours to fill during his care. So, I picked up a book and was hooked once again! I go from one author to another, often with the help of librarians at my local Middletown branch, who help steer me to books similar to my favorites. On one occasion, Katy Peterson helped me to recall an author, Rachel Joyce, based on a vague plot line I gave her for one of her books I had listened to years ago. She emailed me when she solved the mystery, and I immediately started reading through everything I could find.
It is a joy to hold a book in my hands, sitting on my shady patio or curled up in my recliner. Sometimes, I marvel at a sentence or paragraph that is just so well written and meaningful– so grateful that there are authors with the talents to put down the words that give readers so much pleasure. I cannot say enough about the lifelong enjoyment reading brings. Supporting the libraries that give us free access to these resources is important.
Each quarter, Frederick County Public Libraries features a story from a library lover. The stories, written by our donors, share their personal accounts of what the library means to them. Are you interested in sharing your love story? Contact our FCPL Development Officer at jel-zeftawy@frederickcountymd.gov.