I went to the library with my two daughters the other day. Have you been to one of these places lately? I am so used to looking for stuff to read, research, listen to or watch online.
You can go into a library and get tons of free stuff! I was just amazed. I got a bunch of books for Sammie by Dr. Seuss and whoever writes those Madeline books. Then, I went upstairs and found a wall of sheet music books. There I grabbed a book filled with songs that I'd love to learn on the guitar like "Smoke on the Water" or "Iron Man". I went to the DVD section, you can just take DVDs home with you, no rental fees, no subscriptions. What a great time. I was getting greedy. I couldn't stop grabbing stuff. Little Ava was chewing on a copy of Mary and the Giant by Philip K. Dick because the double-wide stroller was so full I started using her for a bookend.
Sammie was happily playing on the elevator, singing into her new microphone or punching keys on one of the FREE internet computers. A librarian told her to "shush" and I got a deep, all consuming rush of nostalgia, I almost passed out from rapturous delight.
Then I realized it was my turn at the reference desk.
At the reference desk, which is like any software company's help desk, but ABSOLUTELY FREE, I asked for a book. They didn't have it. The lady (who was actually there and not piped in from India)/librarian told me that if another branch had it, they'd send it over in a day or two with no fees or overnight charges (FREE). She looked, but the book wasn't anywhere.
That was when I told her and her friend, another local, that I have this "connection" and I get books that aren't released yet. I told them that I had loaned out the book and hadn't gotten it back but want to finish reading it. The librarian looked it up on Amazon (I guess thats where they get all their info, even though they are surrounded by free, fact and knowledge filled books). Sure enough, the book won't be out until October. They both looked at me like I was from the future. For a brief moment I felt like a time traveler/future man. I had to snap back to reality and stop Sammie from spinning a massive five foot in diameter globe while wearing a set of headphones she borrowed from the FREE internet section. She has not been taught proper library etiquette and will probably hate me for it as a teen. The future might not be so hot.
Finally it was time to check out. They have self checkout just like in the grocery stores. I loved the burning sensation as I ran my hand under the laser! Then I scanned my card and remembered why my daughters and I are so unfamiliar with the library system. I owed about $15 from the last time I showed up and had my way with the web design section. The machine took my money and then told me I couldn't check out the book filled with songs that I'd love to learn on the guitar since it was a reference book.
I went to the reference librarian. There I asked if there was a way to check out the reference book. She said it had to stay in the library. I asked what the point of having a book filled with guitar songs which could never leave the premises was. I obviously couldn't bring in my guitar and practice there. My cute little daughter was shushed ten times for singing Doe a Deer into her microphone and skipping from freebee to freebee. The librarian said that each library has different reference items and if another one needs a specific song they get it from them. So then they do let the book go? Nope, the librarian said most people xerox the pages they want. I asked if that was legal considering copyrights, Napster's sordid past and peer to peer sharing. She said it would be fine.
The book was over a hundred pages, I had about two bucks, copies were .20 each and I had the brilliant idea of letting Sammie insert and keep track of all the change. I xeroxed half of Every Breath You Take and then gave up. At that point, a subscription to Netflix, downloading an album from Itunes, lunch at In-N-Out or a subscription to National Geographic would have cost less than my trip to the library.
