As most of you probably know by now, Borders book stores are going out of business. Last night we stopped by one of the Borders stores to see if there were any books that I couldn’t live without. They have some amazing deals (40% off magazines!) and some really good new and old book selections, but all in all, we walked out with only a couple of books. Why? Because as a young adult trying to save for my future, I simply can’t afford to buy all of the books I would like to read.
As a child, I used to go to the library a lot. I grew up in Wichita, KS and once a week my mom would drive me and my siblings down to the Central branch of the Wichita Public Library so I could check out a few books for the coming week. I was admittedly (even then) a book worm. So many stories and worlds to visit, and so little time. Even after I moved away to college there was always the college library available to me, both as a quiet place to study (or meet up with friends for a coffee break) or as a place to access printers and fax machines. But when I transitioned into young adulthood and moved to the Overland Park area, I lost touch with this amazing resource. I wandered through Half Price Books occasionally and perused Borders or Barnes and Nobel when I saw their signs and needed a reprieve from my fast-paced computer-oriented work. Libraries? I hadn’t really seen them around yet, and just didn’t take the time to look them up.
Fast forward to this weekend. I walked out of Borders slightly disappointed that I couldn’t buy more books… things that would keep me interested on those days when it was just too hot to get outside. So my fiancé suggested that we check out the Public Library. She already had a card for the Johnson County Libraries, so we went to the Central Branch on 87th street. It was easy to find, and parking was easily available, despite the number of cars already there. Walking in the front set of doors, I was immediately greeted with an easy to understand layout. The circulation desk was right in front of me, and they have signs detailing which direction to head for the books you are looking for. Fiction is close to the front, making it easy for me to find a few novels I had been hoping to read over the past several weeks, but had put off looking for at the book stores. They had several displays of book suggestions, and a few covers caught my eye. I browsed through the “new book” section, just wondering if there was anything I should read for current events. I remember smiling several times as I looked up to see other people just browsing like I was, looking for the next set of words to catch their attention. More than an hour later (with several books in my hands) I was headed out the door again.
The checkout process was incredibly simple since they have self-checkout stations that take only moments of your time, and provide you with either a printed or digital receipt of your books and due dates. The Library also has a website that completely simplifies which books are available (and where) and even renewal options. They also have the capability of creating “shelves” like wish lists to remember which titles interested you, or you have already read. They are reciprocal with the Olathe public library system as well, which allowed me to get a book that the Johnson County library system didn’t have on their shelves. And if there is any book I find online that I want to put on hold, it will be waiting behind the front circulation counter when I get there. For a library that is so conveniently close to where I live and work, I don’t think it could get much better!
Overall, it was a lot like getting to know an old friend again. There are those awkward moments of asking questions you feel like you should already know the answers to, or moments of a silly smile only you can understand, because that memory was between you and a book. But like an old friend, seeing those books was comforting and enjoyable. If you’re looking for somewhere quiet to duck inside, to get out of life for a moment; somewhere between the cell phones, the work calls and the fitness centers; somewhere out of the blazing sun, consider checking out the public libraries around you. I just might run into you there!
Jacque E.
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