09/10/2022
Everything from dinosaurs to Dalmatians was found in my old school library. This special place was just down the hall, next to the office through two double doors. Inside were rows of bookshelves with a few scattered reading tables bathed in a warm glow of neon ceiling light. Though much smaller than the public libraries around town, I found many treasures on those old wooden shelves. There was a specific, and welcoming smell to the library; a potpourri of musty pages, glossy print, and freshly waxed floors. Large colorful books came to life with depictions of dinosaurs in jungle settings or great whales swimming the deepest oceans. Excitement and wonder emerged through each page rendered in printer's ink. Some books were so new they sometimes crackled when opening them.
Manning the library control center were school librarians with sharpened pencils and diligent eyes behind cat-eye glasses. They were there to help anyone seeking specific materials. With her glasses down the bridge of her nose, the librarian never missed a trick; As I nudged my friend she could see my mouth preparing to move before shushing me with stern warning of "Ssssshhhh! No talking". Warnings aside, the librarians were also very nice, and introduced me to those wonderful old card catalogs that are now as defunct as the entire '60s school culture.
Books, (when I wasn't forced to read them), were often wondrous journeys into lands and worlds unknown. Each time I opened one, I was transported to a magical world. One assignment had me read a book and write a report about it. The book I chose was "Lad: a Dog" because we had a collie that looked just like the Lad from the novel. Surprisingly it truly delighted me; I couldn't believe how taken in I was by a book, instead of a movie on TV. Next on the roster of pulp action were The Hardy Boys mysteries. Those were fun, enriching, innocent days gone by.
