No Need To Be Quiet in the Library

But You Can Be if That's What You Need (Day 86)

Being a librarian’s kid comes with a variety of responsibilities. Despite that fact that her old man is something of an accidental librarian AND the fact that she’s been a good reader all along anyway, the expectation of a quiet, thick-glasses wearing, book absorbed nerd sort of comes with the territory.

No glasses on this one. Mildly book absorbed.

But quiet. Oh Lord no. Fortunately, for me, New Librarianship calls for a re-evaluation of what, exactly, library usage can be. Luckily for Little Bean, there’s no shushing librarian with chains on her glasses at our library.

Story times are no longer polite, low key affairs. Collections are more than dusty bookshelves. Want to borrow an ice cream maker? We got that. Knock a plastic golf ball through a book-designed putt putt course. Sure, try it, maybe you’ll win a prize. Want to try your hand at cupcake decorating or attend a lecture on Robert Frost? Why not, we have both.

If I’m sitting in my office and I can’t hear noise out on the floor, there’s something wrong.

Anyway, we have a recent Thursday ritual going where my daughter is dropped off after piano practice and hangs out in the library until closing time. She loves the intimacy of my library (even though we badly need to expand) and her favorite spot is a little nook in the corner of the children’s room, the farthest away from the circulation desk one can be.

We have what she, or anyone, needs.

Normally she’s all over the place, but today she’s a little more subdued. After doing the rounds and saying hi to Miss Mary, one her favorite librarians in the whole world, she surprises me today but turning inward.

She curls up in her nook with the latest Dav Pilkey and shuts it all down around her.

“You good,” I ask. She nods.

“Need anything?” I ask. She shakes her head and holds up the book to show me she’s occupied.

“Here,” I say and hand her a lollipop. She takes the treat, smiles and sticks her nose back in the book.

She’s usually loud. But not today. Today she needs quiet, and a sweet, and a book.

And you know what? We have that too.