Libraries and thrift stores

Along with doing the grocery shopping today, I made a quick trip to the library and stopped in at a local thrift store. Can I just say how much I love libraries and thrift stores?

I'm sure you all know that I love libraries, because, well, books. Many, many books that are free for the taking. It feels so positively frivolous to walk up and down the shelves of a library, and checking out books just because something about them caught my eye. Sometimes I end up loving these randomly chosen books, sometimes I start them and put them aside, and sometimes I don't ever end up reading them. But that's okay, because eventually they all go back to the library and a new stash is brought home. There are no oughts or shoulds, just the sheer joy of experimenting with all sorts of vastly different books. On the rare occasions when I'm in a book store looking to buy a book, I am almost frozen because the choice of what to buy feels so much more weighty. Which book do I decide to spend my money on? What if I don't like it? What if I never feel like reading it? Because of this, I often choose to buy a book I've already read but don't own and could possibly read again in the future. It's less of a gamble that way.

Libraries just make it possible to be more free in ones choices, more experimental, more adventurous. For instance, today, on my very quick trip to return some books that were due, I came home with a book about making mixed media nature journals and a book by Marty Crump called A Year with Nature: An Almanac. Having glanced through the nature journal book, I've decided it's not really my style, so it will go back to the library next visit. I grabbed the Marty Crump book off a display because it caught my eye (I liked the cover) and because I had heard the name Marty Crump somewhere and had positive associations with it.

After reading the author biography, I remembered why the name was familiar. When M. was maybe 8 or 9 (and more than a little obsessed with reptiles and amphibians), we checked out a book by Marty Crump which was a narrative about her research in the Amazon studying amphibians (In Search of the Golden Frog). M. read this book avidly and decided to write a fan letter to the author. Not only did Ms. Crump write a very nice letter back, but also sent another book she had written which was more of a field guide for children about reptiles and amphibians. No wonder I had such positive associations with her name!

I also bought a book at the library; something I rarely do. But when you see a hard cover book called As Always, Julia which contains letters between Julia Child and her editor discussing the creation of Mastering the Art of French Cooking, and that book is only a dollar, then of course you have to buy it. (I was just happy I had four quarters in my wallet.)

I also made a thrift store stop today as well. Children have been going through their wardrobes and pulling out the clothes that no longer fit. This means that there are some gaps which need to be filled. I love thrift stores for nearly the same reason I love libraries. The low cost means that you can feel free to try things that you might not normally purchase. Plus there is always the enjoyment of the hunt. What treasure can you find? What new use can you create for something? Today's finds included some long-sleeved shirts that G. needed, a cozy sweater for me, and a bundt pan. (It's true, I didn't own one.) Plus, where else can you head to the check-out with your arms full of clothes and other items and not swoon at the total?


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