Books are Free… at the Li-brar-y
As writers, we are readers, too. There are many different libraries in the Southcoast area. If you want to grow your skill as a writer you may want to become a regular at one of these libraries or one close to home. You can borrow books about the craft of writing or subjects that interest you. By learning what’s already been published, you can be a life-long learner who keeps current with ongoing trends in your favorite genre.
Here are some of my favorite libraries:
New Bedford Free Public Library Francis J. Lawler Branch
When my children were little, over 30 years ago, we attended a children’s event. During the event, the leader kept trotting out a catchy phrase.
“Books are free… at the li-brar-y!”
I can’t remember anything else she said during her talk, but this has been a joke in our family for many years. One of my kids would say in a deep voice, “Books are free!” Then another will answer in a high-pitched voice, “At the Li-brar-y!” This brings us right back to the children’s event we enjoyed many years ago.
As silly as it sounds, that phrase reminds us of all the free knowledge, insights, and wisdom waiting for us in the library. When was the last time you visited the library to discover new books?
When my kids were teenagers, I attended UMass Dartmouth as a transfer student. During the library renovations in 2010, I started my job at the library. I worked there for the next four years. I started working in the evenings. The library was open late during finals, and it was my task to check to make sure everyone entering the building had a library card.
We also reshelved the carts of books that students returned. I enjoyed putting books away because I was able to browse the shelves. It brought me to many different, fascinating subjects I wouldn’t have found otherwise.
Working at the library was different every day. During the first week of the new semester, there are lots of questions from incoming freshman and transfer students. In the summer, it's a little more casual. We moved the books from one section to another and organized the collection. Even though every day was different, there were always more books to put away, discover, and read.
I had a chance to speak with Emma Wood, a librarian at the UMass Dartmouth library.
“Members of the public are welcome to visit the library at UMass. Please check our website for hours and parking information. We look forward to seeing you!”
She also stated that they have over 200,000 physical books. A library card is your key to vaults of information and unlimited stories.
Even though we have access to any book in the library system, it can be fun to just browse the shelves at Southworth. If you are not sure what you are looking for, find your favorite book’s classification. Then head to where it is shelved and browse the books in that section. You’re sure to find new favorites.
This evening I’m holding a favorite creative writing book, Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott. In a public library, it is found on the shelves at 808.02. As you may know, public libraries classify books with the Dewey Decimal System. Research libraries like the one at UMass Dartmouth have a different classification system. They need to classify more books than a public library, so they use the Library of Congress classification system.
For example, Bird by Bird’s classification at a research library is a combination of letters and numbers, PN147.L315.
The classification of books can usually be found on the copyright page.
Expand Your Library Horizons
Each library offers a variety of services and books for every age, from children to adults. I’ve used the children’s services as a young mother. Then, I worked at the library when my children were teenagers. Today, I like to visit a variety of libraries to browse their diverse collections.
There are so many libraries to choose from. It’s easy to stick with the library close to home. I challenge you to visit different libraries in your search for new books. Who knows what gem you will find. Which library will you visit next? I just may see you in the creative writing section 808. (Did I tell you the cookbook section is 641?)
