Anyway, my library cards saved me over there. The London lifestyle necessitated penny pinching, and then there was the time I lived in a tiny studio apartment in Earl’s Court with no television and a sorry excuse for an occupation. My love of libraries extends beyond the symptoms of poverty, however.
My devotion is shared by one Carrie Bradshaw, who, Sex & the City fans will recall, professed her love of pre-read tomes in the movie when she declared with affection, ‘they smell so old’.
She is right, they often do smell a bit old but I can’t say that is the real attraction for me. Here is why I <3 my library card:
1. At upwards of $20 bucks a pop and 1-2 books per month, we’re looking at an annual saving of $500-1000 (minus late fees – it happens). Unless I truly must OWN a book, swapping with friends and borrowing are my preferred methods for literature trawling.
2. I get to borrow books on anything and everything that takes my fancy – stuff I would never hand over money for. For this reason, I am educated on a wide range of topics such as, ‘Dream Interpretation for Beginners’, 'Why Men Marry Bitches' and ‘Aeronautics for Dummies'.
3. I advanced with a jovial prance when I discovered on a recent visit that my local library now has a self-service counter which means I can now borrow WHATEVER I like without receiving poorly concealed looks from the librarian (I won’t tell you what I borrowed to earn that look).
4. I love books – but it’s no secret that I love trees more. This one is self-explanatory and I hope that this, if not any of the reasons above, will encourage you to channel the 'Eco Bookworm' within and get yourself back to the library. It's where all the cool folks roam after all.
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