Libraries are way cool. First of all, they are places where knowledge and resources are shared freely, situations which are increasingly rare in this I-got-mine-Jack-eff-you, devil-take-the-hindmost time. Our library system, as I understand it, is a legacy of Benjamin Franklin, who started something of the sort in Philadelphia, and Andrew Carnegie, a robber-baron who started over 2,000 libraries (and who said, “The man who dies thus rich, dies disgraced.” Can you imagine anyone saying that in this century?). The libraries are open to anyone who does not upset or annoy other patrons. They are a monument to the informed populace on which democracy depends.
Librarians are also way cool. It's not true that librarians know everything (although many of them know an awful lot, and put a few of them together, and they know a frightening amount). It is true that they know where to find much of what they don't know, that they want to know. In my admittedly limited experience, it's also true that they are unrepentantly geeky, interested in a variety of intriguing things (some of which would bore you to tears, and others make you ask yourself why you didn't think of that), and stronger in personality than reputation would suggest. Some of them may be a bit odd... but of what profession is that not true?
I also take my hat off to librarians (and I do wear hats, when the season allows) because they were among the first and most vocal to defy the intrusive Patriot Act by not sharing information about web or book searches by their patrons. Courage is not only in the face of bullets; it is also in standing up for what is right when the mob is howling for the wrong.
How can you not want to be part of this?
In any case, in addition to donating annually to the library, several months ago, I tried to volunteer there. At the time, it turned out that all of their volunteers apparently were either high-school students seeking to improve their college applications, or probationers working off their community service requirements. The library staff didn't know what to make of a fifty-something who just wanted to volunteer some time, was willing to do the scuttiest of the scut work, but who couldn't come in during the day because he was employed.
I did get to volunteer at the book sale (right up my alley! Get there early! Set up tables! Heavy lifting!). A month or two later, when I sent my annual check, I offered volunteer services again, and got a call to visit the library to discuss such a thing.
At the end of the discussion with the chief of the library, I became the first volunteer for the North Brunswick Public Library Adopt-A-Shelf program. I'm looking after the business books, from 650 to 659.999... I make sure they're in order, look out to see that there are no books in the section that don't belong (either because the belong in another section, or in another library), keep the shelves cleaned up, take the bookmarks and other leavings out of books when I find them. I get knowing, grateful smiles from the regular staff when I sign in, I have an almost-just-like-the-real-thing nametag, and I get to walk in the back and ask questions of the staff when I have to. I've given it about two hours in the past two weeks, and I'm having a great time.
You've gotta go do this!
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