#LoveMyLibraryCard Daily Quote: Elizabeth Boyle (Sept 14, 2015)
September is Library Card Sign-Up Month, and as part of our daily celebration here on the blog, we are running an author-quote-a-day series under the hashtag #LoveMyLibraryCard. Today’s quote comes from the wonderful historical romance author Elizabeth Boyle, who graciously sent in a few words about what her library meant to her as a young reader and what it means to her now.
Today’s Quote
Elizabeth shared a beautiful reflection about the way the public library was the place where she first realized she could read anything she wanted, follow any curiosity, and that a librarian’s recommendation could change the shape of a year. She talked about the smell of the stacks, the freedom of pulling random books off shelves, and the librarians who knew her by name and steered her toward the next great read.
The line from her note that I keep coming back to is the one about how a library card is a quiet promise that a kid is welcome to be curious. That is everything, isn’t it? A card in a kid’s hand says “this whole building is for you.” We talk a lot about libraries as community institutions, and they are, but they are also places where individual people get to grow.
Why Author Quotes for #LoveMyLibraryCard
When I was putting together this series, I asked authors specifically because I think their stories about libraries are different from a reader’s stories. Authors found their voices in libraries. They discovered the kind of writers they wanted to be by stumbling onto books they could not have afforded to buy. The library was, for many of them, the only reason they got to read widely enough to start writing.
Elizabeth’s note hit me especially hard because of how clearly she remembered specific librarians. Libraries are people. If you have ever had a librarian recommend the right book at the right moment, you know the kind of human magic that happens in those buildings.
Get Your Library Card This Month
If you have not yet signed up for a library card, September is a great month to do it. Most public libraries have minimal requirements (proof of address is the big one) and offer instant access to digital lending platforms like Libby and Hoopla the moment you have a number.
If you already have a card, this is a great month to:
- Use it. Place a hold. Check out an audiobook. Browse in person.
- Tell people about it on social with the #LoveMyLibraryCard hashtag.
- Donate to your local library if you can.
- Thank a librarian.
Tomorrow’s Quote
Tomorrow we will hear from another author about a specific librarian who changed their reading life. I cannot wait to share it.
Thanks to Elizabeth Boyle for participating, and thanks to all of you for celebrating libraries with me this month. Drop your own library card story in the comments. I want to hear about the place where you first fell in love with reading.