Tuesday, May 6, 2008

The Library


Monday was a nice day. I spent part of my morning at the new North Branch of the Osterhout Free Library on North Washington Street in Wilkes-Barre. The old location burned in July of last year.

A man donated the new space, rent-free. Volunteers helped move the books and turn the donated space into a library. People care.

Thanks to the internet, we have a world of information in our homes. Still, libraries are important.

I'll always have a soft spot for books and libraries. This was long before the internet age. Thanks to bad luck, miscalculations, cheapness and downright ineptitude, I would up going to half day sessions for half of my sophomore year in high school and all of my junior year. My afternoons were free, and I used the opportunity to do a lot of my school work at Penn State's Dunmore library. It was a big help.

I love the internet, but nothing will ever replace a book and a library.