Friends of the Libraries' Guest Columnist Features Libraries are places of endless fascination By Debbie Williams March 12, 2005 The Athens Messenger

I grew up surrounded by books, blessed with a mother who was a life-long learner and always a teacher (even before she made it her profession). The living room bookshelves, custom-built by my father, held a variety of tomes including the ever-present set of encyclopedias. One vivid memory is of my mother herding us out to the front porch one evening to see aurora borealis. I was young and terrified of the weird pulsating light in the sky. That is, until we went back inside and, with a little spelling help from mother, looked it up in the encyclopedia. There I learned what caused the phenomenon and what a wondrous and rare thing it was. So I scurried back out on the porch all alone to get another look, now understanding full well that I might never see it again.

My first introduction to the library was through the county bookmobile which came through rural 1950's The Plains every so often. How exciting it was to step inside the behemoth vehicle and be surrounded by so many books! It was hard to choose just two or three for reading until the next visit. Of course one had to be careful to pace oneself: Too few selections meant sure boredom until the van came around again; too many meant having to speed read to finish the books in time. It was a wonderful experience, and I shall never forget the thrill of hearing the lumbering bookmobile coming up the road, especially in the long, slow days of a childhood summer.

No less exciting was my introduction to the brick and mortar Ohio University Library. Miss Linnenbruegge oversaw the children's reading room and guided us in choosing books to take home. She also read to us in her thick, rich accent. She was skilled in projecting the various tones and scenes of any story, hanging us rapt on every word. She enjoyed the fun and silliness of Dr. Seuss — her eyes twinkled and danced when she read Seuss — and to this day the good Dr. is a particular favorite of mine. My son grew up on his books, and I have forced the modern grandchildren to listen to his words, totally ignoring the rolling of their eyes.

The summer of Alice in Wonderland was especially delightful. I spent several lazy, sunny days under a big maple tree reading Alice. One afternoon toward the end of the book, I fell asleep and dreamed the story as vividly as if watching it on a movie screen. But no movie has ever been as entertaining as my book-induced imagining of the story, and no movie could have immersed me as my dream did. I was Alice!

Some people may look at libraries as rather stodgy places. Indeed, in this age of constant "communication" what fun can it be to visit a place where one should only whisper if speak at all? To me, libraries are places of endless fascination. They are a true wonderland full of knowledge and entertainment. Nothing can expand one's mind more than reading books. And aren't we fortunate to live in a country where we have such open access to such a valuable, yet vulnerable, resource? It's a resource we must preserve.

Debbie Williams lives in Millfield with her husband, Everett, an avid reader of history. There is a set of encyclopedias in the home along with numerous other books. When reading, the dogs are afoot. When not reading, a favorite pastime is watching the feathered and furry forest critters come in to feed.