Life is about discovery. Everyone is always searching. Some people search for an adventure. Some people search for an easy way out. Some people search for love or hope or something to believe in. Some people search for their own style, or voice. And on their exploration, they usually learn something about themselves. I’ve found all of it at the library.

I’ve found that the library has everything. They have information. They have all the resources I need to succeed, whether that’s on the internet or between the pages of a reference book. Lots of times, it’s also in the staff at the library, with the knowledgeable librarians, who can always point me in the right direction.

However, when I need a little break from research, the library is filled with escapes, too. They have the adventures of a lifetime, hidden between the covers of hundreds of books throughout the library. I’ve done things that scare me. I’ve met amazing people that overcome almost anything. And these experiences don’t just end at the last page. Would I have been at the Borders’ Harry Potter release party if it had?


The best thing about adventures though is that usually you find something along the journey that you weren’t expecting; just like when you check out an eye spy book and start looking for a whistle but you find a number 9 instead. So, on my lifelong search, I’ve found that I love the way a little kid runs off with their nametag that they can hang up once they finish their summer reading list. I’ve found that I love the sound of the air conditioning in the hot muggy August summer days. I’ve found that sometimes a little bit of quiet in the library is all I need after a hectic week of over scheduling. I’ve found that I’m not alone. Everyone at the library is searching for something, whether it’s a new book to read or something deeper. I’ve found that if I need answers, it’s all there, at the public library.