Adventure at Your Library

Since COVID I haven’t emphasized like I did in the past the Library Summer reading programs that go on across the country. A couple of weeks ago I went to my local library here in New Braunfels to renew my library card. It was nice to see a full parking lot. I went in to renew the card and picked up a book to read. I only took one as being a Bookhead I already have a large stack of books to read at home. I then went over to the information table and saw information on the Summer Reading program. This as always brings back to me memories of my childhood in Barberton, Ohio and my mom taking me to the public library for the Summer reading program. I believe that started for me when I was in second grade. Reading captured my attention as being in a poor single parent home I could read about stories from all over the world. The passion for reading helped me academically in school. I have many good memories of the library reading programs and it was a highlight of my Summers. I picked up a free bookmark off the table and it had a theme for the reading program on it. The theme for this year is, “Adventure Begins at Your Library”. This is a wonderful theme. Adventure should be connected to libraries and reading. Culture at large looks at reading and libraries as boring so the theme is an important reframing. With libraries in today’s world they are much more than books, which of course as a Bookhead that is the most important part to me. Yet as I looked at the library calendar they have presentations for adults on self help topics such as creativity, coloring and meal prepping. They have activities for children and teens as well. Then when considering reading, that should be considered an adventure as well. Reading expands the mind in so many ways. With fiction the mind is transported into the story built by another person’s creative mind but the reader gets to also being absorbed into the creativity of the story. With non-fiction the adventure is opening up to new ideas and new information on topics for example I love topics such as psychology and spirituality. Each non-fiction reader has their favorite topics and it excites them to grow in new ways. So I am glad they chose the theme of adventure for the reading program. I am a little behind this year as the librarian said they would be winding down the program soon but he said there was a lot of involvement from all the ages at the library here in New Braunfels. Next year I will be more together and go back to announcing the Summer reading program at the beginning of the Summer. Reflection: How is reading an adventure in your life?