The Beauty of Libraries

I meant to blog about this the other day, but forgot in the daily rush of things until I read Carmon's blog today.

I got an unusual treat the other day -- some time at the library, free of babies. I love my babies, but having them with me makes it difficult to browse as they are such busy little people who hate being confined to strollers and who are a menace to the books if turned loose.

Being in the library literally causes me to have an endorphin rush. I love books. I could happily live in a library and spend most of my days reading and discovering. The other day I stumbled across a section that contained books on household hints for home management, how to budget properly, cleaning tips and related items. Several of the books there were reprints of old books published back in the 1800's. Looking at these books brought a nostalgic feeling as I remembered reading such things with delight back when I was a young mother and had only one or two babies under foot.

I always take out more books than I can possibly read in a month. This time I came home with one of the few remaining Georgette Heyer novels still in the library. I also got the first Poldark novel, one of Miss Read's books, a book on the HHV6 virus by Nicholas Regush, and one of the home management books. I still have a P.G. Wodehouse book to finish. In addition to all of the above (which I read simultaneously -- I have a book in every room for the few free moments I may get to read it) I have several books on herbs and natural healing that I am reading. Oh, and don't forget my books for the Lord's Day -- one on the martyrs of Bloody Mary's reign, and William Goudge's book, "Domestical Duties."

Does this qualify me as a bona fide bibliophile?

My pet peeve about libraries -- they always sell off the old classics to make way for junky, shallow, trivial new stuff. I can't find a single Elizabeth Goudge novel there any more. And Georgette Heyer has been reduced to only one or two books. Don't even bother looking for anything by Rafael Sabatini. Now THERE is an author who is worthy of reprinting!