Why This is the Best Library Card I’ve Ever Had

I remember the thrill of getting my very first library card. Shockingly, I don’t remember how old I was, though. What age did they deem acceptable to let kids check out books by themselves back in the 70s? Six? Eight? I’d be shocked if I was as old as 10. All I knew was I didn’t have to rely on my mom’s card anymore. We could each check out our limits.

I also fondly remember where it was from: the Denver Public Library’s Hampden branch. My earliest memories include trips there with my mom to pick out new books each week. And my grandma when she came to visit. She didn’t drive, but the library was within walking distance of our house.

I had no way of knowing then how lucky we were to have such easy access to a library. I just assumed everyone had one in their neighborhood that they could also walk to. As I grew up and moved out on my own, I realized that wasn’t the case.

Library Life as an Adult

Having a nearby library was always a consideration when Wayne and I moved into a new place. Although they weren’t always within walking distance, they were never more than a few miles away.

And when we moved out of state, getting a library card was as important as getting new driver’s licenses and the utilities set up. When we first moved to Middle Tennessee, we not only set up Nashville Public Library accounts but also paid to get cards at the nearby Brentwood Public Library. (We live in a different county, but it used to be if you paid annually, anyone could use it. Not sure if that’s still the case though.)

But life here took several sharp turns and then got very busy once it smoothed out. We stopped going to the library altogether years ago. My inner child was agast at such an inconceivable concept. The library was always a refuge for my heart and soul and a happy place filled with inspiration and wonder. But the only time I had stepped foot in one in the last 10 years was to cast ballots. Our local library serves as an early voting location.

Inevitably, I’d stop to browse the shelves, but I never took the time to re-establish my card, which had long since expired.

Until recently. Wayne and I went to early vote in the primaries. After we were done, he stopped to inquire about a library card. He wanted to know if they checked out ebooks and how that worked. Could he send them to his Kindle or did he have to read on his phone? Did they have the titles he was looking for? Yes, yes, yes! And, bonus, he could even get audio books too.

Before I knew it, we both had new cards.

Best Library Card Ever

The thrill from childhood rushed back as I stood at the kiosk filling out the paperwork—or, rather, submitting our online applications. Once we did, the librarian worked the computer on her end. After a few moments, she pointed to a lamented display and asked, “Which cards would you like?”

If they hadn’t had computerized scan cards when we first moved to Nashville, they’d gotten them shortly after. I expected to get another one like that. Just a generic one-size-fits-all kind of thing. No! They now had a generic variety plus designs you could choose from!

Two of the same variety instantly caught my eye. They both read “I Read Banned Books,” but one had a yellow background and the other was pink. I chose my favorite color (pink). But to my surprise, Wayne decided to make a statement with his, too, and chose the same style in his favorite color (yellow).

A Familiar World, Re-Opened

After Wayne successfully did it, I checked out my first e-book from the library and sent it to my Kindle the other day, too. I’ve also been busily adding tags in my library account to books I’ve saved in an Amazon list that aren’t available on Kindle Unlimited.

It’s not quite the same feeling as browsing physical copies, but I can also use that list to look for books at the library. Now that Wayne’s retired, I have a feeling our old routine of weekly trips to the library will resume.

Which just makes me positively giddy with excitement. But not as much as seeing my physical card. The statement it makes tickles me silly.

It infuriates me every time I see a “Don’t Tread On Me” State of Tennessee license plate. It’s one of the styles you can pay extra for. Not that I would get one, but they don’t offer a pro-choice option, which I think is just wrong on so many levels.

But I would get a “I read banned books” license plate if they offered one, especially considering books are more under threat than ever before. Much more so than I ever expected to see in my adult life. I thought the days of the book-burning mentality were long behind us.

But, as they say, what’s old is new again. In some cases, like this one, sadly.

So, the rebel and superhero wannabe and rectifier of injustices in me just thinks this new library card is the very best one ever. Well worth the wait. (Smalls agrees. He’s never been to a library since I’m a bad skeleton mom. But now he’s excited to put my new card to use too!)

Save Banned Books

If you’re passionate about saving books too, my friend Jade Walker helped save 200 books last year. Not from being banned, though. But from being destroyed because they went unread for too long.

She called it The Forgotten Books Project, which she explained about in a post on the Silent Book Club – Manchester Facebook Group. Perhaps you could do something similar in a book club or reading group you belong to?

Or if you know other ways to combat books from being banned, leave a comment. It could help me become more involved, as well as others who may read this post and who also want to become activists.