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To celebrate National Libraries Week (5th-10th October), we asked our authors to tell us a little bit about their love for their own local libraries.
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My local library has always been a huge part of my life. I got my first library card when I was 5, I would go every week. I grew up there. When I was 16 I got my first job working at the library shelving books and checking in returns, and then when I ‘grew up’ I sat for two terms on the library board the years we built the new library. I am so proud of my name on the plaque outside the building.
Going to the Brookwood Library to write beside the giant windows is one of my favorite things to do. When my head needs clearing, I take a walk around the duck pond. It’s just lovely.
No matter where I live, Dulwich Library will always have my heart. We would cycle up through the park and spend hours, fingers trailing across hundreds of book spines, choosing which of a thousand different worlds we would dive into. And, of course, it was where I found my first Mills & Boon!
I love my little island library! I even worked there for five years. The books are great, but the staff are what make it. Kind, funny and always happy to recommend an amazing book when you’re looking for something new.
My favourite library is the Kailua-Kona Public Library on the Big Island of Hawaii. Depending what time we arrive on the Islands, it’s my very first stop, even before we get groceries. I’ve been a member there for close to ten years and because of their awesome system, I can reserve books from my home in Canada, and always have at least a dozen waiting for me to pick up. The spirit of “aloha” is alive and well at the Kailua-Kona Public Library!
I wouldn’t be a Mills and Boon author without my local library – oh, the number of books I borrowed when I realised that’s the kind of book I truly wanted to write! Now, as a published author, they look after me so well, gifting me a quiet space to write that is far away from my fridge at home, and inviting me in for author talks every year. I love my library!!!
How do I sum up a library in just a few sentences? It is an impossible task! My local library has been a bastion of fun and learning for my girls and I for years – a hub for movies, storytime, arts and crafts, and talks with real astronauts. During 2020’s Covid experiences, it continues to be our escape!
My favorite thing about my local library (other than all the books!) is all the summer programs they do for kids. From reading to having local professionals come in to talk and read a story, they strive to make books come alive for the kids.
I first read Mills & Boons that were borrowed from the library – probably hundreds of them! How wonderful that these places exist – treasure troves containing thousands of wonderful books, all available completely free of charge.
I love a library in general, but I think a local library is the heart of the community. It shows the value the people in the area put on living and learning. I’ve donated a hardback copy of every one of my books to my local library.
I love going to libraries to just hang out – peruse a section, open an art book, flip through a magazine. What’s really special about some of the libraries in Los Angeles is the architecture – from Spanish style with arched windows and murals to modern steel and glass to desert haciendas. The buildings are art themselves.
When we’re not social-distancing, the Chickasha Public Library (Oklahoma, USA) has an annual event in which patrons dress up like characters in classic novels or participate in book-based scavenger hunts. I enjoy attending, feeling the enthusiasm, and talking about writing, plus I give away free copies of my novels.
I grew up reading at my local little-town really-small library in Mt. Ephraim, New Jersey. I spent hours and days there, more in the summer, reading through all the collections allowed to me. Nancy Drew led to Black Stallion and more. The librarian even permitted me to take out more than the allowed-limit because she knew how much I read in a week! I read as much as I do because of that library!
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Keep up to date with Libraries Week 2020 by following @librariesweek and share your plans using the hashtag #LibrariesWeek.