Ode to My Library

Oh, Hennepin County Maple Grove Library, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways.

1. You are always there for me.
You have great hours and a digital presence that is available 365/24/7. So many books! So many ebooks! So many audiobooks! So many happy memories! It brings me great comfort to surf your web site and scroll through your app, making wish lists of books I want to read. And oh, how happy you make me when you pop into my inbox telling me that one of my digital holds has been automatically checked out to me. A little library love goes a long way!

2. You go above and beyond.
Interlibrary loan. Enough said. Love it!

3. You are fun!
Where else can I take a free class to learn about 3-D printing, and make my own thingamajig on your cool 3-D printer? You do things like invite a police canine officer and four-legged partner to visit the library and give a demonstration. I mean, who does that? Yes, dear library, you do.

4. You are a beacon in a dark world.
Minnesota winters are long and dark. Long, dark days. Long, dark shadows. Long, dark moods. But you never succumb to the winter blues; you always lift me up in your cozy reading areas. I'm sure you know this, considering your vast repository of knowledge, but cozy is practically a requirement to get through a Minnesota winter. Why, you even gave me a book on Danish coziness! Yes, I had to wait in line for it, but it was even more meaningful when it was my turn! I love to walk through your stacks, looking for my favorite authors. Sometimes, I select a book at random and bring it home, and you never tell me this is silly or foolish.

5. You are smart.
You help me with all my homework. (Translation: research for my books.) You taught me about the Great Depression. And the history of the Army Veterinary Corps. And the evolution of the Hennepin County and Minneapolis park systems. And so much more.

6. You are soon to be my neighbor.
That's right. I'm moving in! Well, not exactly. But come next month I can be at your front door in three minutes. It’s a dream come true...living within walking distance of my local library. We are about to be besties!

7. You wear your rainbow proudly!
You embrace the LGBQT community with library celebrations, including pride festivals, picnics, and even story times.

Oh, dear library, if only we could all be like you, the world would be a better place.

Photo credit: www.hclib.org

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