How often did you visit the library as a child?

[Geo]

that my mother never once took me to the library! I thought about it long and hard and...nope, not.even.once. I don't think I even knew they existed (public, that is) until I was in my twenties. However, I do remember visiting the library at my elementary school. My 3rd grade teacher took us there a few times. Sheesh, explains my affinity for our encyclopedias all through my childhood and teens. :( Just pathetic.

 

 

The local library where I live now is a place of friends...they all know me be my name...first AND last ...and they know all my kids names (6) and ask about my adult children and how they're doing. It's a pillar in our lives...it has always supported our interests and respected us enough to leave us alone while we pursued them.

Edited August 11, 2011 by Geo

[FrogMom5]

As often as I could until mid-high school. Then I began dating and forgot all about reading good books. You know, young and dumb. :tongue_smilie:

Denise

[swellmomma]

As a kid mom took us every 2 weeks in the summer so we could do the summer reading club, during the school year it was once every 4-6 weeks, sometimes longer. I ended up getting books from the school library more. While she felt reading was very important she was/is not one to want to do outtings with kids. I read whatever books were around the house as well, though most of those were not geared towards kids, though there was some kids books I read over and over again.

 

When I was in junior high I worked in the school library on my lunch break. I would shelve books, work the desk and prepare new books for the shelves (attaching the card pocket, creating the card and stamping the inside cover, the back cover and page 19 of every book with the school stamp). I did that position as a volunteer for 2 years covering the librarian's lunch break. It was awesome and gave me extra borrowing priveledges in the school.

Edited August 11, 2011 by swellmomma

[swellmomma]

that my mother never once took me to the library! I thought about it long and hard and...nope, not even once. I don't think I even knew they existed. However, I do remember visiting the library at my elementary school. My 3rd grade teacher took us there a few times. Sheesh, explains my affinity for our encyclopedias all through my childhood and teens. :( Just pathetic.

 

It's amazing though isn't it, that even after having a mother not take you to the library you became a homeschooler that loves books!

 

I was thinking about how I take my kids to so many museums, and art galleries, to the symphony, to plays, to fairs etc. My folks (though usually because of my mom), never took us to those kinds of things. I think my dad would have, but my mom hates museums etc and would not take us. And I love those kinds of places as do my kids. We are always looking for new museums and such to check out. They get so excited when they find a new one in a town we have never been to.

[Guest]

Does this include the school library?

[Geo]

sorry, double post.

Edited August 11, 2011 by Geo

[Geo]

It's amazing though isn't it, that even after having a mother not take you to the library you became a homeschooler that loves books!

 

Truly. Still, I'm sitting here thinking: "Breathe in, breathe out....in with anger...out with love, in with...." Edited August 11, 2011 by Geo

[rocketgirl]

In public school we went every week or two weeks, but so full of rules & not fun except for that one book we got to take home. At around 9 or so my parents started taking us to the public library & I loved that feeling of getting to go to whichever section I wanted & just look! Today I take my kids at least every week or two. There is so much more to do there than find new books, mine seem to love playing with the puppets and puzzles, looking for movies and books.

 

 

p.s. so sad I only ever went to our ps middle school library to buy pencils from a vending machine~! And our high school library was only to go to if you were in "study hall", I think I only went once in those 4 years, so needless to say I had no idea what they had.

Edited August 11, 2011 by rocketgirl

[Grover]

When I was nine I started nagging my mother to come into the public library to sign the papers for my card. I used to ride my bike down and go in and read but couldn't borrow because I had no card. I think it took until I was about 11 for her to go in and sign the papers. I don't ever remember her taking us to the library, but I took myself almost every day after school.

[Dobela]

I went to the library with a friend in 1st grade and thought I went to heaven. In 3rd thru 5th grade I went every week. My brother had to take allergy shots and his doctor was down the block from the library. I would check out as many books as I could carry every week. I don't ever remember having a bag LOL. After he stopped taking shots, I only used my school library. It was a decent one and we were scheduled to use it weekly. After I started driving I became a regular at the county library again until college.

 

My kids though have gone sporadically. It has depended on what else was happening-like dealing with infants who were struggling with immunity issues. I also have had a large enough book collection at home that I felt ok not taking them. This past spring though we started visiting again for more of their free ccommunity programs. I think we are booked for several of those until Christmas now.

[Melissa in Australia]

I walked past the library every day on the way to and from school, I went in nearly every day.

[Joyofsixreboot]

Daily! The two wonderful old ladies that ran our small town library let me and my best friend get books and talk to them for hours and then play in the library yard. Thanking Margaret Casey and Devota Smith for being so kind to two young girls. I still love libraries and go a couple times a week.

[jelbe5]

My mom worked as a librarian and the bookmobile parked a few doors down from our house when I was a child. :D

 

Today I take my children to the library weekly (or more). I already have their promise that they will regularly take their children (when they have some) to the library. My oldest dd would like to work in a library.

[gingersmom]

I went at least twice a week. My father was an avid reader and so was I. My brothers and mother never went with us. I take my son to the library 2-3 times a week. We even visit libraries in different cities where we can also check out books. Sadly my daughter only goes to the library kicking and screaming.

[AuntPol]

We went to the school library every week. I would assume many families don't need to go more than that because the kid has a book from the school library.

 

I also walked to the town library after school on a regular basis. My mom would pick me up there after work. I don't remember "why" though as I usually rode the bus. I think it because the YMCA and library were there and I went to swim lessons for a bit.

 

Once I started junior high (7th grade), I don't think I ever went to the public library except once in 10th grade for research. I rarely went to school libraries also since we didn't as a class anymore. I went only when I had a book report to do and we didn't have many of those.

[Soror]

Never that I can remember, only our small school library. My parents weren't/aren't big on going places- although now mom takes my niece. Of course Mom had to work as well, so that made it difficult also.

[Rhonda in TX]

During the school year, I used the school library on a regular basis. During the summer I was there all. the. time. I could ride my bike there, so I would go several times a week once I was old enough to do that on my own.

[Joules]

 

I also walked to the town library after school on a regular basis. My mom would pick me up there after work.

 

 

I did this for three years of elementary school. I would walk to the library every day and read for a couple of hours until my dad got off work and picked me up. I lived too close to qualify for a bus route (1.5 miles then), but then really too far for an elementary kid to walk every day.

 

Even before then I was a regular at the library. My brother was in high school when I was born. When he went to the library to do research, he always took me along and plopped me down in the carrier while he studied. Same with my sisters when they could drive. They called me "The Library Baby" even when I was a teen. I guess it gave mom a break, and I was always good and quiet. In hindsight, I think I might have been sensory sensitive like ds. I was born into a noisy house with three teens. The library was blissfully quiet (and cold, because they had A/C and we didn't!)

[Pretty in Pink]

I voted occassionally/few times per year. Those were visits to the school library to borrow materials for book reports and other papers, and that was just a few times per year. The first time I went to a non-school library was during my senior year of high school. I needed resources for a big senior project so I went to our small town library as well as drove to a big university library.

 

I take my own kids weekly with few exceptions. I began taking them when my eldest was 3.

[mommaduck]

Every day!

[southcarolinamom]

I'm from a family of book worms. We lived about 5 blocks from the nearest public library in downtown Minneapolis. My 3 siblings and I would take my little brother in the proverbial "little red wagon" and fill it up with books. He got to sit in the wagon and hold all of our books on the way home! During the summer we went at least twice a week, but less often during the school year.

[unsinkable]

Daily.

 

I loved my library! I wanted to read every book in there.

[Princess Peach]

I was a bookworm! I was at the library all the time as a kid. We had library class 1x/week in elementary. I read so many books that by 6th grade I couldn't find any that I hadn't read! I would ride my bike down to the town library at least once per week. My mom would tell me to go play outside and I'd take my book outside and read. :)

 

We go 1x per week now, too. We have moved a lot and one of the first things we do is get a library card. Love the library!!

[Krista in LA]

When I was in school, I was sent to the school library on a regular basis as the teacher couldn't keep up with me. I think I read nearly every book they had. :lol: I don't think that we went to the actual library that often, but the bookmobile came by regularly - it was better than the ice cream man!

[gardenmom5]

we went to the library so my mother could get books for her. I have no memory of getting books for me, or being read to. (except at school.)

 

I will add, I order most of my son's library books online, and we run in and pick them up. but they are books for him, and we read them.

[abacus2]

I put seasonally. I remember going quite a bit, but I really don't think it was every 1 to 2 weeks with any regularity. Maybe we went primarily in the summer? I'm not sure.

[Sasharowan]

We were at the library quite often. Whenever we moved, finding the library was one of the first things we did. Plus over half of my Christmas list was books. My sis wasn't any where near as bad as I was, though. I lived and breathed books. My hubby, who probably never set foot in a library before meeting me, still is amazed at the books that we accumulate, even after 20+ years together.

[wilsonx6]

I was at the library almost EVERY WEEK when I was little. I've always loved to read and always checked out the limit. :001_smile:

My daughter gets disappointed if we don't have time to stop by the library when she is finished with her books before they're due back. I love that she enjoys reading that much!

[Pippen]

Rarely at the public library but I used the school library extensively.

[abreakfromlife]

allllllllllllllll the time! At least 2 or 3 times a week. I loved the library. I would stay upstairs in the kid section forever, and my dad would stay downstairs in the adult section forever, and then I'd come find him when I was ready to leave. I still remember wandering the adult aisles, fascinated with all the books I'd get to read someday. I still remember finding a huge biography of Lucille Ball and wanting to check it out someday. I wish I could take my kids to that library just to show them it, but it's kind of run down and in a bad part of town, so I'm kind of scared too :tongue_smilie:

 

But we have an excellent library here and I love it...we're there once a week. Sometimes twice, if I run up at night and I'll take a kid or two with me. I've never seen any kids older than preschoolers at the library, now that you mention it.....that's kind of sad.

[6packofun]

Some years it was more regular than others, but I remember when we'd go my mom had a big plastic beach tote that she loaded up with our books to return and we'd spend a couple hours there. We left with another huge load. LOL I loved going because it was one place where my mom let me roam and just do what I liked. Which was curling up in a corner with some good books that *I* chose!

 

My dh's mom was a librarian on the campus of Marshall University (WV) and so he practically LIVED in a college library when he wasn't in school. LOL

[jenL]

We lived close enough for me to ride my bike or walk there, so I was there at least once a week. The town was small, and it was safer then to let me wander around town starting around age 8 than it is now. I had a basket on the front of my bike (you know those plastic, white wicker ones with the flowers on the front? :)) that I would fill with books. During the summer, I was there every few days. I have the fondest memories of visiting the library as a child. Books are still my refuge.

[Sparkle]

I went very frequently. I loved to read as a child, so I visited the library often. It was within walking distance, and I could go whenever I wanted. Also, this was a small town so there weren't really a lot of entertainment choices.

[TheReader]

In elementary school, we had regular trips to the public school library during school, and that was my library time during the school year. I was never without a book.

 

During summers, my mom would make an effort to get us there so we could participate in the summer reading programs. Again, I was never without a book.

 

During late elementary/middle school, my parents divorced and my dad married a librarian. We were at the library often. She was a children's librarian and it was pure bliss to have her for my stepmom.

 

After jr. high my library days dropped off significantly.

[jewellsmommy]

My mother was/is not a library person. The only time I remember going to the library was when I asked to go in order to do some sort of report/research. She dropped me off and picked me back up. I grew up thinking of libraries as research tools, not so much as places to find enjoyable reading. It's hard to explain. :blush: I still struggle with libraries. I have not yet developed the deep love relationship that so many others have :lol:. I'm trying. :D

[WTMCassandra]

One of my favorite memories is bringing a brown shopping bag or two to the library and filling them with books. I remember my mother appealing to the librarians to let us check out more than the three-bk/wk limit because she didn't have time to come to the library Every. Day. I devoured books. I still remember how that old library smelled . . . fabulous!

[swellmomma]

It's funny as I am reading replies and see so many that like me did not have folks that took them often if ever to the library. And then I think about how important the library is to me and my kids. When we moved to this town I had us at the library and with library cards in hand before I even finished unpacking. The library here and in teh next town tell me often that our family is their biggest patrons, because we are always in there taking more stuff out. My older 2 got their first cards when I left my ex so at 2.5 and 18 months. The younger 2 got their own cards within weeks/months of being born, because the library system in taht town gave a board book to each new baby with their new card. They were trying to promote kids getting cards even if the parents never did, plus the kids cards were free.

 

The library is such an important part of what we do as a family. We are there weekly, sometimes 3 times a week. We participate when they have events, which in this small town is few and far between. In the city we did tons of events with them, including paws to read (reading to dogs), police K9 visits, craft activities, story hour etc.

 

I hope that when the kids are grown they keep this love of libraries and books and take my grandkids to the library often. If not I will take them and share with them the love of libraries and books I have.

[Lisa in the UP of MI]

Hmmm. We went to the public library regularly during the summer, but during the school year I mostly just went to the school library.