Jul9

the souls they never knew they saved.

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i love the library
i’m there at least a couple of times a week
an unending source
of knowledge, humor, wisdom, drama, community, films, music, and life
the librarians are the lifeblood of the place and somehow keep it all going
in elementary school
i volunteered to help our school librarian, miss hoopengarner
where i had the incredible joy of seeing new books come in before anyone else
proudly getting them ready for the shelves for others to enjoy
i’ll never forget
i unpacked, wrapped, made up a card, glued on a pocket, checked out to myself, and stamped a return date
on the very first copy i had ever seen of ‘charlie and the chocolate factory’
 i was the first one in my entire school to read this book
how very lucky was i?
it was a level of magic i’ll never forget.
—
and now, i have a little game for you to try:
your librarian name is the first name of the oldest person you know
followed by a last name composed of the adjective that best describes how you move through a room
combined with the main ingredient from the last sandwich you ate.
mine is: eleanor stumblecheese
(i rather like it)
let me know how yours turns out
—
‘i’m of a fearsome mind to throw my arms around every living librarian who crosses my path,
on behalf of the souls they never knew they saved.’
-barbara kingsolver
—
image credit: pinterest vintage, santa fe library, the laughing librarian (game)

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96 responses »

  2. Also have to say I love librarians. Every time my kids and I moved towns we’d always get my mum to write to us so we had a proof of address so we could join the library.
    My local librarians here are some of my greatest supporters when it comes to my writing and one of them comes to my writing group.

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  4. I love libraries, too.
    We had a library class in our elementary school–a whole period to read books! I think we took turns being the librarian and stamping books and filing the cards.

    There was a really great episode of This American Life years ago with stories about libraries.

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  9. This is such a fabulous post and I love that you were a librarian’s helper. Not even surprised, to be honest. I haven’t step foot in a library in way too long. I must needs rectify the situation.
    Lotsa love,
    Beatrice Boogieeggavotomato

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  10. Enjoyable and amusing post. Light hearted and creative names posted. I can’t remember the last sandwich I had, and I haven’t been to the library since Covid, because the rules got so cumbersome. Maybe I’ll try again soon.

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  12. I’ll play – mine is Sybil Stepsteak. Your post made me think of our school librarian who retired this year. She was the only librarian we have ever had since we opened in 2001. She’s on to a new adventure now but she knew her stuff – books, technology, research, and all things 21st century education. Had the best ideas and brought in the best author visits!

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  16. Oh my goodness. This is a hoot! Okay….I’ll be Edie Schlumpbutter.
    (It would actually be Schlumppeanutbutter but I decided it was too long. )
    I love yours – Miss Eleanor Stumblecheese!
    😜

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  23. may I just say how much i love libraries and librarians. sadly, also, i haven‘t been in a library for far too long, maily because abroad we had no such thing and since we‘re back in our home country, I still have some 200+ books I should read before I‘m totally blind and I have forbidden myself to even look at other books… Same goes for some 300+ DVDs, mostly in English, some in French because I only read and view goods in their original language. Exception: A man called Ove! and some more.
    I also absolutely adore Kingsolver. She is a master of the art of words.

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  24. I enjoyed this story as I love libraries and librarians. A Judy Blume quote comes to mind, “Librarians save lives: by handing the right book, at the right time, to a kid in need.” Not just a kid, but all of us :)

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  28. I loved going to the library before they remodel it. The book shelves reached from floor to ceiling against the funky green walls. The smell of the large room was intoxicating with strong scents of wood, leather, and musty bound books.
    We used to play “Library”, too. We’d gather up all of our books and fashion little paper pockets out of envelopes to hold the cards. We used my father’s ink stamp, 3”x5” index cards, and a shoe box to hold all of the stamped cards. One by one we’d collect all of our books…The Bobsy Twins, Nancy Drew, Cherry Ames, and some encyclopedias. All of our neighborhood friends would visit our make shift library on our big front porch and check out the books they wanted to read.

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  31. Nova Meanderpeanutbutter—The first time in the history of the world those words have ever been combined.

    The library is one of the few entertaining places we can still go for free.

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  34. Hello from Rose Swayham. I also had a library in my bedroom when I was in 4th grade. I carefully labeled each book with “Urban Library” and taped check-out cards in the back. I don’t think they ever got checked out!

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  37. I remember no ones name. However, I do use my local library. When I return the book I have out, I’ll get the librarians name. One day I’ll leave an oddly signed comment, and you’ll know!

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  39. Marvellous post Beth. Although I don’t remember my librarian’s name, it is actually the place which still supplies oxygen to my brain.😌I have been missing out on all the reading these days with my extremely busy schedules, and somehow just manage to answer a prompt on a fortnightly basis. Hope I am forgiven.

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