Editor,
Back in the Middle Ages, books were so valuable they were chained to the bookshelf to deter theft. Last week we, the nation, celebrated National Library Week (April 19 to 25), and the chains are more or less reserved for only special books.
Mariposans are very lucky to live here library-wise, because its library is part of the largest library consortium in the state of California, the Valley Cat, which connects 13 county libraries with 110 branches together in one system so books from Boron, Calif., in the Mojave Desert to Greeley Hills’ Red Cloud branch (the southernmost to the northernmost) are available to borrowers who have an unending tantalizing choice of over 900,000 items.
Being the largest consortium in the largest state, it may be the largest in the nation.
A year or two ago I wanted to read “Keynes Against Capitalism” by James Crotty, a professor at University of Massachusetts, Amherst. I received the book and its home library was in New Hampshire.
Our local library has an extraordinarily long arm. It also loans out Chrome Book computer tablets, makes available the New York Times and hosts special events like the Story Hour for children.
Ben Franklin would be proud (he invented the public library in 1731, some 295 years ago).
This past week I looked into prize winning books at the ALA, American Library Association, web page. I found “This Country.” Then I looked in the Valley Cat and found the book; its home is at the Mariposa County Library. It’s my first graphic novel, and it’s surprisingly good.
Surprise yourself.
Ben Leet
Mariposa
Responses (0)