Booking Through Thursday: Library Week

Suggested by Barbara:

I saw that National Library week is coming up in April, and that led to some questions. How often do you use your public library and how do you use it? Has the coffeehouse/bookstore replaced the library? Did you go to the library as a child? Do you have any particular memories of the library? Do you like sleek, modern, active libraries or the older, darker, quiet, cozy libraries?

I love visiting the public libraries. Unfortunately, I have not been visiting any for a few years, due to time constraint and the fact that I would rather read at my own pace than paying fines for late books. In my case, the bookstores have definitely replaced the library. I love keeping the books I read, thus borrowing books from the libraries is not the best option although it is always good to return the books if I do not really enjoy them, ha.

I do visit the library when I was a child, and that is during my primary school days. As if the school library is not enough, I visited the public libraries too as it goes without saying that the latter offers a wider selection of books. The public library which I used to patron frequently had been refurbished in 2004 and re-opened as a regional library. I cannot comment on the refurbished library since I have never been to it before, but I quite like the ambience of the old library, especially on a weekday after work and I wouldn't have to worry about the library being over crowded or getting a place to sit and read my books. There were two stories in the library and the first floor is occupied by the children/young adults section. And there was a staircase at a corner which lead to the second floor where the adults and research sections are. In its center there was a huge space where sofa are situated for the readers to read their books. There were several more chairs located at some corners but none of them are as comfy as the sofa. I can find myself sitting there and read my books for hours. Ah... those days!

I suppose I have no preference when it comes to libraries. No matter if they are sleek or modern, or old or cosy, as long as they have a wide range of selections and with comfy chairs, it is a good library in my opinion.

What about you? I would love to hear them from you.