When I heard that my local library may be closing, I was pissed… Why? Because libraries are a lifeline for people. 📚
During my childhood, I spent every single weekend in one of my local libraries. That one has been severely downsized. It was in a beautiful old building. But it had lots of books which is why I went there every single weekend. During summer 🌞 it was every day or every other day. I must have got through so many books during the summer holidays.
Weekends though, I’d be there every Saturday and Sunday. We were allowed to check out up to 8 books, and I’d take them home on Saturday and bring them back on Sunday. I was a bit of a bookworm and went through different phases. Obviously I had my Goosebumps era, my Roald Dahl era, my Sabrina the Teenage Witch era. Then I graduated to authors such as Agatha Christie and James Patterson. I read a lot 📚📚📚📖📔📙📘📗🔖 and I always respected books, never turned down the corners, always always used a bookmark.
See, I was the child of a single mother. We didn’t have sky TV or Internet when I was a child. So books were my escape. My aunty used to buy me bookmarks as gifts 🎁 but I was also kind of active as a child. I used a bike 🚲, roller blades 🛼 a skateboard 🛹 and my scooter 🛴 I played with my friends who were also my neighbours but I always found solace in books and reading.
So last week I went to the library that wasn’t far from me and I read 7 children’s books. I then tried to check some books out using my trusty library card that I’ve had since I was about 10… Imagine my horror 😱 when I had to sign up for a new card! My old one had to be retired. But shockingly, I could now take up to 20 books out! I only took out 16 because I was too lazy to make the trip back to the section and I was getting late for my hair appointment.
I also signed a petition to keep my library open as its at risk of being closed. Why? Because Birmingham City Council needs to get it’s bonuses from somewhere.
