The library in my town has been there for me for many years. When my children were small, we joined the reading program every summer, and we were frequent borrowers of books and occasionally toys throughout the year. It’s the first place I turn when I hear of a good book (so I can try before I buy). And it just proved its worth again when I couldn’t remember the name of a book.
I had the first word of the title but not the author. Searching under “Dish” brought up thousands of possibilities at both Amazon.ca and ChaptersIndigo.ca. Many of them were cookbooks, most including the word somewhere but not first. But where was the book with a title beginning “Dish”?
A search at my library’s site returned the book I wanted as number two. (Note: Afterwards, I tried it again and Amazon found it, also as #2). It’s Dish: Midlife Women Tell the Truth about Work, Relationships and the Rest of Life, by Barbara Moses.
What I also liked about a recent “touch point” (as marketers like to say) with the library: I received a one-sheet update saying, “Here are just some of the ways we’ve used your donation to bring our services to life in your community.” I liked knowing that children read 30,000+ books during this summer’s reading program. I also liked that I wasn’t asked to give again, although the contact information is there to make it easy should I want to.
Do you use your library?
I do use my library, both to borrow books (novels, biz, travel books) and attend events. For example, on Friday I was at the Toronto Metro Reference Library, where we enjoyed a reception (with music and food), then a presentation segment hosted by Mary Ito (of CBC Radio’s Fresh Air), including a video and announcement of the winner of this year’s Toronto Book Award: Glen Downie for Loyalty Management (poetry). In addition to being featured in the video, all five finalists were in attendance…and I think I might need to borrow (or buy) at least three of the nominated books!
http://www.toronto.ca/book_awards/index.htm
I was interested to hear Mayor David Miller talk about the TPL: “The Toronto Public Library is the world’s busiest urban public library system. Every year, more than 16 million people visit our 99 branches and
borrow more than 29 million items.” Phew…I knew it was a great library system, but I didn’t realize it was WORLD class! 😉
That’s a pretty stunning number – what would those 16 million people do without the library?!
How timely! Sue, did you realize that October is Canadian Library Month? (I didn’t.) I just heard about this in an article in Marketing Daily, Libraries have more than you think, shows new ads.
I did not know that either! Great campaign described in your link. “Funny” is not often the adjective you link of related to a library!