I’ve been thinking a lot this week about how integral libraries are to my reading life. I have a roof over my head, enough money for groceries and monthly bills, and I’ve got a safety net. I’m certainly not drowning in cash, but I can afford to buy books. But I certainly can’t afford to buy all the books I want to read. Without libraries, I’d never read a new release (hardcovers add up fast), and I’d never listen to audiobooks (an Audible subscription just doesn’t fit in my budget right now).
I am a voracious reader, in large part, because of libraries.
I care deeply about supporting authors and independent bookstores. Whenever I can, I buy books that I love. But the idea that I–or anyone–can simply buy the books we want to read is narrow-minded, not to mention classist. There are millions of people, unlike me, who do struggle to put food on the table and keep the lights on. They have as much right to read as me or anyone else. It makes me so angry when people equate getting books from the library with not caring about bookstores or supporting writers. Maybe in an ideal world we could all buy however many books we wanted, but that’s not the world we live in. The world we live in is unjust and often unbearably awful. But we do have libraries. That’s something to celebrate.
LIBRARIES ROCKING IN THIS WEEK
I couldn’t find much in the way of library news this week, but it’s always a good time to revisit this amazing round-up from last February of the many ways public libraries can be part of the resistance. It’s from a year ago, but looking through these photos always reminds of how much power small actions can have in local communities.
THE HAUL
- Let’s Talk About Love by Claire Kann
- Song of a Captive Bird by Jasmin Darznik
- Old Man’s War by John Scalzi
- Incognegro by Mat Johnson and Warren Pleece
Once again, this week’s haul is a nice mix of old and new. I’m particularly excited about Old Man’s War, because my sci-fi loving family all raves about it.
THE VIRTUAL HAUL
Libby is apparently playing tricks on me, because a bunch of books came in this week that it told me would not be available for four more Stop returning your holds early, people, it’s messing with my carefully orchestrated reading lists! (But, I am excited about all of these books.)
- The Ruin of a Rake by Cat Sebastian (ebook)
- A Closed and Common Orbit by Becky Chambers (ebook)
- The Wee Free Men by Terry Pratchett (ebook)
- Call Me By Your Name by Andre Aciman (audio)
LASTLY…
As always, thanks to the public libraries that keep me in books. This week:
- Mashpee Public Library
- Brooks Free Library (Harwich)
- Truro Public Library
- Wellfleet Public Library
Book Open 
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