LIBRARY, AMAZON OR BARNES & NOBLE - Remix

This is a fun topic that I think deserves a revisit, along with a few changes. The first libraries were created in the late 17th century, but Benjamin Franklin actually created the first library that required membership in 1731.  

Do you remember having to do reports in school  by choosing books from the library and NOT the Internet? Sometimes you were actually told what books you had to use to complete the task for your grade.  If you used the school library, you were pretty much out of luck, so even if you didn't feel like it, heading to the neighborhood library was the place to go.  

However, I must say that visiting the library is really different these days because no one is really quiet in there anymore. When I was a kid, we were tapped on the shoulder to remind us of the "don't talk" rules.

Music is downloaded, games are being played and it's not uncommon to see young people piled around one computer looking at pics of boys and girls on Facebook or Twitter. (lol) In addition to that, they're speaking on their cell phones - loudly.

Those days are long gone, and I don't even know if kids are required to write book reports anymore. I have noticed that while a few children are doing research, more than ever, the computer is the go to for just about anything.

Despite more people using technology, there are still close to 120,000 libraries in the US, with the Library of Congress being the largest in the United States.  Did you know that according to the American Library Association,  the largest library in the world is actually in London, England?  Not only can you borrow books, but you can read E-books, sign out movies, participate in story time with the kids, meet new pets, or learn how to cook.

 




A while ago, I went on a trip to New York, and the first place I had to see was the New York Library, and it was truly

fabulous!  I could have stayed there all day enjoying the sights.  So my perfect vacation has to include at least one visit to the local library. Also, whenever I move to a new state, the library is the first place I go to get my brand new library card.

Some say that the library is a thing of the past, but I'm not so sure about that.  Still, many people prefer to not deal with the hassle of returning books, or paying those dreaded late fees because those 30 books weren't finished on time. It's easier to order them online and admire them at home forever.

I enjoy saving novels on bookcases too, but something about the library is still magical.

But what about you?  Are you still visiting the library to find your favorite book, or are you headed to Barnes & Noble or Amazon?  Which do you prefer?