FACE IT, WITH e-readers and the internet and staffless libraries, going down to get a few books out isn’t how it used to be. But wasn’t it such a simple joy?
1. The excitement of getting your own card
You minded it with your life.
2. Randomly selecting books off the shelf based on their spines
The feeling of betrayal when the book with the eye-catching yellow cover was a bit crap. You tricked me with your flashy colours, book!
3. Carefully considering which books from your stack of potentials would be taken out
This was an important process and was not to be interrupted by impatient parents asking you to get on with it.
4. Wandering over to the Young Adult section and feeling AWFUL BOLD
There’s something about kissing in this! Hope mam doesn’t see!
5. Ordering in a book you were excited about
It was coming in all the way from Castlebar, so it was bound to be good.
6. And raging when someone else had already taken out the next book in a series you were reading
Forcing you to go from three to five or – gasp – wait for it to come back in. And what if they didn’t bring it back? It didn’t bear thinking about.
7. The sheer satisfaction of seeing each book being stamped
That’s yours now. For a whole three weeks!
8. Scanning the card to see how many times it had been checked out before
Did all those other people love it too?
9. Having to confess to your parents that your books were overdue
And the bollocking that ensued.
10. And paying your late fine, absolutely mortified
The shame! Don’t judge me, lovely library lady!
11. But coming back as soon as you could, because you couldn’t stay away
Like a family pet or a former flame, there will always be a special place in your heart for the first library you loved.
