It won’t come as a surprise that APL staff have some library love stories to share. Many of us learned to love books and reading at a young age, and some of us came to words and learning later in life. We’ve collected a few stories here for you.
Myself, I remember my mother reading Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White to my siblings and me, and crying LOTS of tears at the sad parts. I was young, and not yet able to read, but I knew then, that if books were that powerful, they were worth the struggle.
Our Circulation Supervisor tells us that Black Beauty by Anna Sewell is the title that made her fall in love with reading. She also tells us this heartwarming story about her lifetime of library and librarian infatuation: “I fell in love with libraries at about 8 years old or so. I had a favorite horse book. The cover tore. My life was over, obviously. My mother, who is a librarian, said she could take the book to work and fix it; they had special tape and it would be all right.I was skeptical. Low and behold she brought the book home, fixed; it appeared brand new to me. I thought librarians must have super powers.”
One of our Reference Librarians was read Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery as a child, and she is looking forward to reading it to her own child one day. She says, “As nerdy as it is, one of 
the authors that REALLY made me love reading when I was a kid was Bruce Coville, specifically his books Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher and Into the Land of the Unicorns. I credit him for kickstarting my obsession with the fantasy genre.”
Our Office Manager shares this honest story about coming to reading later in life. “I was not a reader — at all! — as a child. Mom offered to pay me by the page to read some of the books in a special little bookcase at home, but I’m not sure I made any money at all! High school was a challenge, 
as I read the fewest books possible to maintain my grades. I don’t recall reading much of anything for pleasure when I was young. I may have gotten through a Bobbsey Twins book or a Nancy Drew, but probably under duress!
As a young mother, I brought my older two to the library. While they were looking for books at their level (under Edna’s watchful eye!). I browsed through the novels in the kid’s room. I took out The Secret Garden, soon followed by Louisa May Alcott’s books, and I was hooked! I’m still a tad spooked by very long books, but I thoroughly enjoy historical fiction!”
Often times, saying you love the library means you love it all – books, and reading, and the building itself. The following staff member is someone who loves it ALL! “When I was a little girl, I remember taking books out of my first school’s library. I recall reading every last Nancy Drew book, and still remember one day while sick on my couch at home being thrilled to finish a whole Nancy Drew book in one day. I also really remember how much I loved reading Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. To this day I’ve never seen the movies, but it’s one of the only books I recall being that excited over.
During my teen and especially college years, I fell into that trap that so many students do, where I only read what I had to for school. But as an adult, I started reading again and haven’t turned back. I especially find that if I read before I fall asleep it calms me, even if I only stay awake for a few pages. I loved taking my sons to the library when they were young, both to take out materials and to attend fun activities. It was such a simple way to entertain them; we visited different children’s rooms in the area (and sometimes stopped at a park to play on the way home), and they were happy.
I love the APL because it is such a community place, both for patrons of all ages and types, as well as for our wonderful staff.”
We share our love for all things library every day, and we look forward to being a part of your reading and learning life. Have your own library love story to share? Stop in the library and fill out a valentine card in the lobby. We want to hear from you!
