Libraries

I am surprised that many people do not use their local libraries. I'm there all the time! I borrow DVD's (for free), books, books on CD and music CD's. I use their conference rooms, I go to free lectures and I even borrow their computers when I need to look something up quickly while I'm there.

I'm a "regular" at my local library. While not all of the librarians may know me by name, I'll bet they all know me by face. I am there several times a week. Sometimes, I'm there more than once per day!

One of my first jobs ever was when I was 16 years old. I worked at the Niles Public Library in Niles, IL. I was assigned to work the circulation counter. I checked out library materials for patrons and checked them back in as well. I didn't have to shelve books though... that was a job given to the girls who worked there! I suppose the logic was that they wanted a male to handle the front desk to keep some kind of "order" to the library. I had keys to open and close the library and it was my responsibility to do that. I had to walk the entire library to make sure nobody was hiding somewhere before we officially closed the doors. It was a huge responsibiity for a 16 year old boy! Before working at the Niles Public Library, I was a library aide at my former grade school. I shelved books there and also helped keep the library organized.

While in high school, I would study at the school library all the time. Well, I actully didn't study all the time... I often went to the library annex section to check out magazines to read. Now you may think I'd be checking out Time, Newsweek, The Wall Street Journal or The Chicago Tribune, right? Wrong! I usually asked for "Black Belt" magazine or "Mad" magazine! Yeah, I was a real library genius in high school!

In college, I used the library as well, but surprisingly less than any other time in my life. Most of my studies could be done simply with the text books I had to buy.

My wife and daughter go to the library often too. As my daughter was growing up, we'd take a lot of books out for her to read. I think that made a huge difference in her education. She was reading at a very early age and she loved getting new books to read all the time too. Today, she and my wife continue to do a lot of reading... although it seems most of their reading are fiction books.

For me, I really only like to read technically oriented books or other non-fiction books. I will take out computer books, books on photography, sports books, music books, fishing books, and other non-fiction books. I like biographies too, but I only like that on "books on CD" so that someone else reads it to me.

But what I take out most are DVD's. This is really the only form of entertainment I have that involves a television. I rarely watch TV shows anymore. And I get most of my news from the internet now too.

Here's an interesting thing... I've never seen an episode of Monk on TV... but I've seen every episode of Monk. How can that be? Well, I've seen them all on DVD's borrowed from my local library!

I really like Monk. It's a fun show. I would not say Monk uses the most technologically advanced methods of forensic science to solve cases, but his powers of observation is what helps him solve crimes. I love all the main characters on the show too. In fact, Ted Levine who plays Captain Leland Stottlemeyer on the show is a dead ringer for a supervisor I had for one of my past jobs! They could pass as brothers!

If you have never watched Monk, I'd highly encourage it. It's funny and entertaining. It ran for eight seasons, so there are lots of episodes to watch. Can't afford buying all those DVD's? You don't have to! Go to your local library and borrow them! (Image borrowed from the internet.)