In concept, I love the idea of a public library. A large building with many, many, many books and cd's and magazines. All free for you to check-out and use at your own will. Books. Music. Free.
I like all of these words.
However, the actuality of a library doesn't work for me. Why? Possession. If a book is worth my time to read, I want to possess it. I don't want to borrow it and give it back. I want to put my notes in it, catalog it and put it on the shelf in my living room where I can pull it out occasionally and flip through it's pages again.
A week ago I checked out a book titled Cowgirls: Women of the American West. I'm not sure what the impetus was writing this book, but it speaks to me. It's not extremely well written and is more of a transcript for the lives of women the book is about, but it has engrossed me. It speaks to me. Insert verdant hills and sheep for the dusty mountains and horses, and the expressed feelings and experiences could be me.
The book is due back at the library on the 25th. That's a lousy birthday present to myself: return fantastic book back to the library.
I will. But I'm also ordering a copy off of amazon. so much for free reading.
2 comments:
I totally get you. We covet.
If you recognise a thing of value it makes it harder to let it go. Though if it's really really good then having it at a library is for the greater good...as long as I also have a copy at home, kept in bubble wrap and never lent to anyone.
Yes, but maybe you would never have had the chance (or impetus) to read it, had it not been for the library! So the library did you a favour by introducing the book to you, so that you could now own your own copy.
(Much like Youtube introduces some of us to music we might not necessarily listen to except it is part of a fanvid of a certain awesome actor with the initials RA)!
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