you need one now, Aimee. It is the best way to keep a baby in books.

True fact. And then they go away, and you don't have to read them a brazillion times. Well, until she wants to get it again.

I would never have survived childhood without the library. My mother also might not have survived my childhood.

However, I'm another one that does great for a few times, and then suddenly I"ve got five books that were due three weeks ago....

These days, I rely on Barnes and Noble, and the occasional used-bookstore binge. And the internet. Because I read a lot of internet. And without it, I'd need a lot more books...

I work at the library. I am there 5 days a week. I don't pay fines on bboks owned by our system. however, I often bring home a new book or three every day. there is no way in hell I could ever read everything I have at home. so every other day I get an email notice saying something is overdue. or waiting for me to pick up. Believe me - the staff doesn't care if they are overdue ( unless you argue about the fines... again) Just don't let anything go to the collection agency, because we can't negotiate anymore.

I was lucky enough to grow up in a town that got a Carnegie library, and after I was 9 I lived in biking distance. We always went as a family once a week, and when I could bike I went more. I don't think I ever had an overdue book. And I don't know how I would've survived childhood without the library.

Then the long dry spell when, if there was a nearby library, it sucked.

When I lived in Alpena, MI, I could bike to the library from age 9 or so. I practically lived there. We moved to a much larger city when I was 15, and biking places was no longer safe. But once I was in college the libraries (within easy walking distance) saw a whole lot of me again. I'm better now than I once was about getting books back on time.

When I was wee, I camped out in the Swiss Cottage Library, the one nearest school. Wonderful library, with computers and software for borrowing during the mid 80s. Never lived near one like it since. The main branch of the Detroit public library was pretty cool, as is the main branch here. But the branches near me are kinda sucky.

I need to check out the new Santa Monica library. I hear it's cool.

The best way for me to utilize a library is to just hang out there without taking anything home with me. Once a month or so, I go to the bigass downtown library and go absolutely nuts picking out a stack of various, previously unknown to me, authors and then reading excerpts to see if they pique my interest or not. If so, I add it to my wishlist (if only in hardcover or not a well known author) or make a note to look for that author the next time I'm at the used bookstore.

I think I'll need to head downtown this weekend. It's been at least a month since my last library day.

Plus, it's an added bonus that I can shush people in a library. Love the shush.

I used to hang out at the library almost every day after school when I was a kid. Plus when I was really young my mom used to take us to story time on Saturday morning and afterwards we got to pick out a book. Aimee--the Buena Vista library has GREAT programs for kids! Check it out -- [link] They have a TREE in the kids section!

It probbably mattes what you near by branch is like in a bigger city, but with most library catalogs on line - ordering a book and getting it sent to you branch is easy.

I think as a patron, a tree would be cool. But keeping kids from climbing it , would be a nightmare.