My husband was in fifth grade when he tied a cardboard box to the handlebars of a brand-new 1995 black and yellow 10 speed bike. He rode through the small town of Fairbank, Iowa, past the town’s only stoplight, to his favorite destination: the library. That summer, Jim biked to the library almost every day. Beyond a cardboard box brimming with books, he spent his time looking at magazines, learning how to use a computer, watching movies in the back room with his friends, and reading a book nearly every day. He plowed through series after series: Animorphs, Goosebumps, Hardy Boys, and Encyclopedia Brown. Sure, it was a public library, but for one fifth grader, having his very own library card made the library feel like a place made just for him.
Me, I’m a different story. For most of my life my relationship with books has been sporadic and half-hearted. When I was in fifth grade I read in spurts, devouring the Little House on the Prairie series one week, and picking up nothing besides a basketball the next. Unlike Jim, I became fascinated with books later in life, after I graduated from college.
These two stories couldn’t be any more different, but the ending is the same: we both
discovered a love for books. And so can you. It’s never too late (or too early!) to begin a
relationship with reading and sign up for your very own library card.
September is Library Card Sign Up Month at Wickson and we are giving away library canvas
bags to anyone who comes in and signs up. Beth Emmons, Early Learning Specialist, has been working with the schools and giving prizes to kids who sign up as well.
If you already have a library card but haven’t used it in a few years, you’ll need to update that
card to your new number since we upgraded our collection with the Valley Library Consortium (VLC) in June of 2021. While your old card will no longer work, updating your card is quick and easy. You can drop in, call, or complete the process online. We can even mail your new card. You’ll also be entered into a drawing for a chance to win a local gift card.
A library card may very well be the best free gift you’ll ever receive; it literally never stops
giving! And don’t forget, your library card grants you access to more than just books. You can
check out laptops and hotspots, Ebooks, audiobooks, sewing machines, puzzles, movies,
magazines, and more!
Keep an eye out for more fun activities happening at the library this month. On Saturday,
September 24 from 6-8pm, 2nd -5th graders can participate in an epic Library Nerf Wars Tween Edition. Drop by the library and chat with Barb for more info! Additionally, families should mark their calendars for the very first Destination Story Time, held at the Weiss Family Corn Maze on Thursday, September 29 from 10am-12pm. This story time includes a story with Mrs. Emmons, a special craft, snack, hayride, corn maze and courtyard playtime. Guests are welcome to bring a lunch and continue to play at the maze. Registration is required for this event and the cost is $7 per person for ages 3 and up. Be sure to call the library to reserve your spot by September 27.
Whether you’re dropping in to sign up for your very first library card, renewing a library card, or participating in one of our upcoming programs, we can’t wait to see you! And Jim, if you’re
ready to replace that cardboard box, don’t forget we’re giving away free tote bags! Just a
hunch, but it might hold up better. Happy reading!
Comments