SAVE A LIBRARY, READ a book, and GIVE to a (MAYWOOD, IL) Public Library

Good morning bloggers and readers;

I want to apologize for not posting but  again, I'm not really.  Why because I am not really a "techy" kind of person.  I am a bona fide "bookworm".    I like hardback books that are bind in the middle and  the paperback books hung on the racks, big telephone books, dictionaries, and newspapers and maps so I can use my yellow highlighter.  I love the public library and any other libraries that hold books, archived information that is tangible and have that rustic musty smell and sense of history that if you touch it you can travel back in time, across to foreign lands, and into the space galaxies.

Presently, I am  reading a real book, a Jodi Piccoult book, Lone Wolf.  The 10th or 11th book I've read but she has written 19 books last I counted.  Any book I read 99 percent I borrowed from the library and returned it, sometimes  with fines to pay.

But I'm not here to highlight  Jodi, I am here to highlight a certain public library in my previous hometown. The Maywood Public Library was a safe haven appointed by my mother. Most children I grew up with could tell you about their churches in this community  because it was the center of their life, but my world revolved around the Maywood Public Library. The melting pot of  everything and everyone. I was not allowed to go to house parties or "sets" as they were called back then but I would visit some of my friend's churches occasionally. I also visited the parks, played in my friends backyards.    But the heart of my life is from the left and right" articles"  of the library.

Maywood Public Library

Maywood Public Library

When I wanted to get away from home as a teenager my excuse was ' I am going to the library' but that was not a lie, I walked to the library. As a child my this museum of books was my world. You could occasionally meet famous people  like Bozo the clown.  My dreams were infinite when I read a book. Occasionally there were contests,  if read a certain amount of books you would win trips to baseball park like the most covenant park of all; Wrigley Field home of Chicago Cubs.  Actually my elementary teachers started my love for books. Our field trips were frequent to the library because it was only three blocks north  from Emerson Elementary school and we walked as a class there.  There was everything at the library...from movies, to crafts, to puppets, to other activities held there.

The hangout place for me was the library, great place for socialization. Meeting with my high school friends after-school, then for school projects and club meetings Boys and books always seem to come together. There was a boy who lived on the next block asked to take me to my prom at the library. Then there was another boy that annoyed me so much I would hide in the rows of books to avoid him.   Later in life I met my ex-husband at Ft. Worth Public Library when leaned across the library study table and asked me for my name and phone number. 

Mrs. Brooks and Mrs. Ferrari were my librarians. They have both been at Maywood Public Library for ages.  I remember when Mrs. Brooks gave me my first library card in first grade.  Then many years later she gave my oldest child, Donald (Francis) his first library card.  The library card was our license and ticket to dream big.  Acquiring a library card was the beginning of many adventures for  the many dreamers of Maywood. later their dreams became reality and would soon to become history. For my children their dreams were just beginning.

Later in life I briefly worked as a travel agent where I sent others to bathe in the sunshine or Vegas. I was Expedia, Travelocity, and Hotels.com all thanks to the library. When I traveled out of town I would first find the local library, grab information about the area, and then plan my activities. Some of  which included sightseeing, visiting museums, and strolling through a Zoo if there were any.  I could always rely on the library. I recently heard on the news radio WBBM a report that still 1/3 of people do not use the internet or just look up websites only when they do use the internet.  So libraries aren't extinct dinosaurs yet.  Where would we keep the books?  Most people do not live in mansions with rooms of books or computers. Personally, in our family we want to have a room with nothing but books in it.  Sometimes I can't believe that my children who were born into the personal computer  age and smartphones want a tangible book to read!

The library is a place of solitude, a place where I could be by myself but yet not really. Maywood Public Library was a place were I could take my children and hide. Drowning my doubts, fears, sorrows and imagination in a novel, a bible or even a computer.  The library provided a non-expense oasis for my mind to ponder the steps of my life as a single divorced mother.  It provided a place where I could gather resources so I could proceed on with my life's journey.

I love how in America it is possible to visit a library to contemplate your life.  Some countries and even our government can and will rule over use of the internet.  What  if all the books, and paper information were to be destroy because everything resided on the internet where would we be if or when the internet gets shutdown?  Where would we find are archives of information?  When towns, cities and provinces are destroy by storms, wind, fire, or earthquakes and there isn't any electricity Where do you run too to settle disputes?  Where would we find proof and examples that will formulate a solution of any kind?  Even Wikipedia can be manipulated.  It's electronic! Where would the general place for the general public to access general public information be? IN A LIBRARY!!!

So why am I ranting, and why is this important for you too read;  I viewed a feed on one of my facebook groups "I grew up in Maywood Illinois/ Friends of Maywood Illinios" and read that the Maywood Public Library is closing because of budget issues. I screamed out loud NO-NO-NO! at the top of my voice so now this  internet has given this me this opportunity to spread my passionate  scream to all Maywood residents and US residents to support your local Public Library and your previous hometown library. 

How many of you remember the library? I am sure you have many great memories. Well, unfortunately the Board voted this evening to give the Director the authority to close it's doors to the community due to fiscal problems. After cut backs and many kind hearted concessions by it's employees, they may be forced to close the doors very, very soon. Please help Save Our Library. Please keep this safe haven available to the children of Maywood. Please send your donations utilizing this form. http://www.maywood.org/library/Donation_Friends_of_the_library.pdf If you would like additional details about this appeal please send me a message with your email address and I will forward the emergency appeal from the Library Board to you.
PLEASE HELP SAVE OUR LIBRARY

If we allow an entity like the Maywood Public Library close it doors to the public you with close the door to poor, disabled, elderly, children, immigrants, students, families, socialites, homeless, orphans, childless, jobless, wealthy,  ................................................................



PS   I have completed reading The Lone Wolf by Jodi Piccoult and without revealing the end of the story I have to give acknowledgement to Jodi because I did not know I going to read this book and write this blog at the same time.   People would think this is a coincidence but my son's says he doesn't believe in that, but it was meant to be.  So thank you Jodi for writing a book about hope, I appreciate it very much.