I haven’t been to a library in about 15 or more years. I am not much of a reader and with children I haven’t really fought for reading time. TV time, yes, reading, eh, not so much. I decided it was time to take the kids to the library, because it is hot, I am huge and might explode in the heat and we are that much closer to the good sno-ball stand. When I informed the kids that we would be going to the library, Amber quickly announced that she didn’t want to go because she can’t be quiet for that long and wanted to clarify if I really meant the Barnes and Noble. You know because it is so much more fun to buy books and play with a train table that is not ours. I was impressed with her honesty and ability to see where she may fall short, then I told her to suck it up and have fun. Sam just looked at me and said, “Lieberry?”
First, I had to find out where the library was. Sure there is one down the road from us, but much like the playground with the penis decorating the slide, I am not impressed with it. So, I was headed for anything that was a little cleaner and didn’t have a surly librarian with a big ruler with which to smack us. SoHubby pointed us in the right direction and we were off. I ran down the rules with the kids: BE QUIET! and NO FOOD OR DRINK ALLOWED! Seeing as I am expected to carry the pantry in my diaper bag, at all times. We were set and ready for some reading fun. I envisioned us sitting in between the aisles marveling at the thousands of different books we would find and reading for hours. What I got was a very different scene and it made my head exploded.
We got our library card and set off to the children’s section. What I didn’t expect was that I had no clue how to find books that we might like. I didn’t make any notes of authors that the kids already had in their rooms, or remember how the hell the Dewey Decimal system works, did they still use the DDS and how was I going to get my huge ass to the floor to explore books. Okay, all minor details and there were librarians to help, if only I could admit how long it has been since I have entered a library. None of that would matter, because the world I entered was not like the one I had remembered all those years ago. There was a toy section. What the hell? There were shelves and shelves of DVDs and CDs. The last time I was in a library they had just gotten computers and had a very small selection of VHS tapes, mostly movies from my grandmother’s era. Then there was the banks of computers that had brightly colored characters dancing on them begging my children to forget those stupid books and glide their fingers across the keyboards. Just when I thought I could look over all this and accept the changes, I saw something that I never thought I would see in my entire life. People had food and drink OUT IN THE OPEN in the LIBRARY! That is when I had a mental break and needed to sit down.
It is not just because I haven’t been to the library in a long time, it is because I am a rule follower to the point that I am sure there is someone keeping track on my permanent record of any small infraction that I may perform. Oh, I have lightened up a bit, one would have to being married to a man who believes that rules are put in place for other people, but there are still places, like the library, where rules are still sacred. I don’t care how many people leave their McDonald’s cups on the tables or sip their coffee like it is a freakin Barnes and Nobles, I and neither will my children, ever drink or eat in the library. It is just NOT DONE and I am sure will earn us many points in heaven. You can just forget all those times I might have sneaked a little sumptin, sumptin into the university library while doing research.
Our first experience was mostly me sitting in a chair doing what I do at home, watching the kids play. When I reminded them that they had toys at home, even dared to mention a better kitchen playset, I was told that we didn’t have puppets and a board with a curtain. Okay, whatever. So we spent an hour playing with random children, loudly, and me gripping the sides of the chair so I didn’t smack someone. This wasn’t due to the new library atmosphere I had stumbled into, but more like I am 9 months pregnant and officially annoyed at anyone and everyone. I am sure the little girl that grabbed Amber’s book and read it for an agonizing long time is the sweetest thing since diabetic candy. I did wander off a bit to find our first 3 books to check out, without any help from the children, before we left for the day. Not the experience I wanted, but I still had hope.
Since we had books that needed to be returned and I don’t want to rack up the library fees, you know permanent record and all, I decided that today would be a perfect day to go to the library again. This time I had a plan. I was going to have the library hold some books for me to pick up. And with all this new technology, I could just plug them into my home computer and have them waiting for me. First, I was a little late with this plan, since I just thought of it yesterday, and second I drew a blank. I have had a list building in my head, but forgot about my pregnancy brain and how soon it quickly sweeps the non-important things out, like books I wanted to read, what I came into the kitchen for, and where I left any one of my children at any given time. I am more likely to remember what I want to eat, that I have to go pee and my scheduled putting my feet up time. So, no books for me this time. (Thanks to the kind people of Twitter, I do have some good ideas to look up for next time.) Next up actually have the kids involved in finding THEIR books. Sam declared that he wanted dinosaurs and Amber waved her hands at me to find Fancy Nancy while she played puppets. Fine, whatever. I got Sam to ask one of the librarians, himself, for dinosaurs and we walked away with 4 books. Amber passed by some book, grabbed it and was happy with her selection. Once the kids were pushed out of the play area by a very pushy and whiney little girl we decided that since I don’t let them touch my babylaptop at home they can let loose on the computers. Sam and I played a variety of games with a very cheerful mouse and Amber spent her allotted time drawing on the computer. All in all it was a much better experience the second time around.
I think the library will become our new place to kill some time and maybe, just maybe, I will actually walk out with a few books for myself. I did realize that the library computer might be the perfect tool for helping Sam to be prepared for Pre-4. Sure I have been working with him with ABC’s, counting and colors, but when you add a happy mouse, talking train, and animals popping out of boxes things start to click. I have been fighting with the notion of having some kids’ program put on my computer, but seeing as this is my link to the outside world and I won’t be getting a new one for awhile, I would like to keep it running as is for as long as possible. I am not much of a trusting soul with letting the kids on my computer for fear of them doing something that I won’t be able to undo. Best to leave little fingers to computers that don’t hold my escape in the balance. I like that the library and I have become reaquinted, even with that whole new rule regarding food and drink. I guess I can overlook it, if it gets my kids reading more than the books on the shelves in their room, my wallet untouched, help get me reading again, and didn’t you read earlier so much closer to the GOOD sno-ball stand.
