Library Days

Last Saturday was a very special day for Lachlan. He received his very first library card. I know that he is only seven months old and can't appreciate this milestone, but I couldn't help but feel very proud of him just the same. I was smiling from ear to ear when the librarian handed over the plastic card with my son's name on it. "Before you know it," I told her, "I'll be going with him to get his driver's license."

I really would have liked to share this moment with Lachlan when he is a bit older and could appreciate the significance of getting his first library card. It is a great learning process. However since I maxed out my check-out limit on my card and wanted to also get some books for Lachlan, his own card was needed much sooner. As he grows, I will explain to him how special books are and how to care for them properly; especially those from the library, which we borrow. The library is a wonderful teacher for the lesson of sharing: "We borrow these books to enjoy and take care so when we are done, we can return them to share with others." The library is also of great use to me professionally when I design intervention programs. For children that struggle in the area of life skills, the library serves as a place to foster that development through its many processes: looking up a book in the library catalouge, locating it on the shelf and checking it out. Children learn how to be responsible for the books they borrow and must keep track of the due date. They also learn consequences if the book is not returned on time, such as there will be a fine. For the time being, the library for Lachlan is a place where we go each week to sing-a-long with the 'story lady', do finger plays and chat with friends.

 I really hope that Lachlan will learn to love the library as much as I did as a child. The mid-west town in which I grew up, did not have much excitement to offer for children, especially in the winter months. I remember how much I would look forward to an outing at the 'place with all the books!' During my early primary school days, I remember my mother working at the downtown bank. Sometimes my sister and I would be dropped off at her work by our father. Often my mom would still be busy with a client and we would have to wait for her. My mother would suggest to my sister to walk us across the street to the library so we wouldn't be bored (those were the days when you could trust your children to do such a thing and not worry about their safety.Oh, how times have changed!) Once at the library, my sister and I would go our separate ways. It was an Eden for us both. We would both get lost in our own little literary world; I would sink myself down into some smelly old bean bag chair and begin getting into mischief with Curious George or helping Clifford save the day once again. I'm not really sure what world my sister was in. Most likely she was solving some mystery with Nancy Drew or perusing the foreign language section. We'd only join up again after our mother would track us down and tell us it was time to go...bummer!

I was also fortunate that there was a library close to the subdivision where we lived. Again, my sister and I would go there together though this time on our little banana seat bikes- though eventually we did change with the times and sport 5-Speeds. The banana seats had baskets though, which were handy to carry all the books home. That is the price to be 'cool.' Practicality is replaced with 'hip.' But that's enough nostalgia for the day. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I hope one day, my little man will find his own smelly old bean bag where he can cozy up and get lost in a special book that will take him on his very own imaginary adventure.

 Lachlan's October Reading List:


Public Library:

• Baby Fun: Hush, Little Baby, Don't Say a Word
• Bright Baby: Baby Animals (touch and feel) 
• That's Not My Truck... by Usbourne Touchy Feely Books

Home Library:

• Bye-Bye Bear (book puppet) by Cartwheel Books
• That's Not My Pony... by Usbourne Touchy Feely Books
• That's Not My Dog... by Usbourne Touchy Feely Books