I love libraries. There’s something to be said about the calm, quiet space surrounded by lots of bookshelves. Since I was a little girl, my neighborhood library has always been part of my life. 

Do you remember your hometown library? I recall visiting ours in Canfield, Ohio often, especially the summer when I became a beginner reader. Behind the wheel of our green station wagon, while smoking a cigarette, mom and I would make weekly trips. I recall the hot July breeze rustling through our car windows as I gripped my bag full of books to return, then refill. Our library was small, quaint and, of course, smelled like old books. 

Since the 1970s, the design of our library’s interior seemed timeless. Those that grew up in Canfield may recall the picture book section. It featured a wooden slanted shelf that displayed the newest titles, shelved books underneath, and a long bench in front. Each visit I would sit and meticulously assemble my book choices in a pile.  

When I was old enough to write my name in cursive, I was proud to hand the librarian my personal, light green library card along with my stack of books to borrow for the week. I’ll never forget the whirring sound the photo machine made when they checked out my selections. When using the stamper indicating the book’s due date, the “tap-tap” sound still resonates with me along with the smell of the ink pad that lingered in the air. 

As we grew older, mom gave my sister Michelle and me permission to ride our bikes to the library. We were usually accompanied by our best friends and next-door neighbors, Gail and Jan. I loved to browse through my favorite books like “Encyclopedia Brown”, “The Boxcar Children”, and the “Ramona the Pest” series. 

We also enjoyed a little mischief at the library. Before peddling there, we would occasionally stop at the lobby of Value King, our neighborhood supermarket. With our dimes and nickels, we would raid the gumball and super ball machines. Once at the library, we would roll the balls from one person to another across the whole width of the library and try not to get reprimanded. Such simple fun back then but pretty daring for four, well-behaved young ladies!

As teenage girls, we continued our bike trips to the library. However, you would now find us pursuing in the young adult section. Author Judy Bloom’s books, “Are You There God, It’s Me, Margaret”, “Otherwise Known as Shelia the Great”, and the racy, “Forever” would be on our radar. We would quietly giggle as we read mature passages between the bookshelves.

In 2014, the sweet little library I grew up with was torn down to make way for an upgraded building. The new facility is state-of-the-art and was much needed in our community. However, my heart will always belong to the old brick facade with the squeaky front door and the two water fountains in the lobby. 

Inside that building and in between all those pages I turned was where my love for books and reading flourished. I’m forever grateful for all the adventures those stories took me on and the memories of my many visits.