Curtis Booker, Daily Herald

In 1958, the first National Library Week was observed with the theme “Wake Up and Read!” Now, 67 years later, the annual celebratory week “Drawn to the Library” begins April 6 and runs through April 12. This is a time to celebrate what I and many others believe to be a very essential part of any community: the library.

My adventures in libraries began as a young child when my mom would take us often to read and check out books. My grandmother was an elementary school librarian and I thought her job was magical. When we visited her, she would take us to her school library on weekends, and while she was working, my siblings and I had the entire library to ourselves and hundreds of books to explore. I still have several of the discarded books from her small library in Nyssa, Oregon. A discarded book from a library is certainly a treasure to a young book-lover.

I remember listening to the librarians in my own elementary schools reading to us. We waited all week to hear the next chapters of the books that they read. That is where I first heard the stories “Where the Red Fern Grows” and “Charlotte’s Web,” two favorites.

My own students in elementary school are often amazed when I tell them they can go to the public library and actually check out books for free. Again, the magic of libraries! What many people don’t realize is that a lot of children have no books in their homes. Having the ability to go to a library and borrow books at no cost is truly a miracle in these young children’s lives.

Libraries are so much more than places to read, although that would certainly be enough. There, you can also find educational and historical resources, learn about almost any subject, find a quiet refuge, listen to stories during story time and participate in fun learning programs that include the arts and sciences.

Courtesy Jeremy Hall

According to the American Library Association, “In the mid-1950s, research showed that Americans were spending less on books and more on radios, televisions and musical instruments. Concerned that Americans were reading less, the ALA and the American Book Publishers formed a nonprofit citizens organization called the National Book Committee in 1954. The committee’s goals were ambitious. They ranged from ‘encouraging people to read in their increasing leisure time’ to ‘improving incomes and health’ and ‘developing strong and happy family life.'”

Yes, libraries help us to enjoy a valuable leisure time, increase our mental, emotional and physical health, and participate in happy family lives. This week and every week, let the library draw you in.