Love Your Library

As a born and bred North Idaho citizen, and an ardent lover of the Coeur d'Alene/Post Falls area, I'd sooner force my heart to be still than naysay any of the lovely people who grace this beautiful land. I think we all try pretty hard to have good manners and extend graciousness toward each other. This spirit of friendliness becomes increasingly important as the times grow leaner and our belts must be cinched ever tighter.

Considering the economic climate, I would like to encourage any and all perusers of this noble website to keep in mind your local libraries. I am, perhaps, slightly biased on this one. Yet in those hallowed buildings you can find entertainment galore. Movies. Books. Magazines. Music. Art. Discussion. In short, you can find just about anything to please your senses, fan your interests, and expand your mind in a library. And, if we don't have it, we'll get it for you; either through purchase or inter-library loan. The possibilities are endless and...wait for it...it's all FREE!!

Embrace your libraries. Joyfully take part in the services offered - storytimes, craft days, family nights, even teen tech nights full of video games and pizza. Pour over books you've read a dozen times. Laugh at the scenes in a farce from the '30's that you've never before seen. Ponder that article in "Popular Science" or "National Geographic." After all, you've paid for it with your taxes.

Patronize your libraries with interest and enjoyment. However, I'd ask that you'd please remember that your librarians are not living dictionaries or encyclopedias. They can't answer every single question, nor will they do your homework for you. Don't pitch a fit over the hour time limit on the internet. Other people need to use it, too. They don't appreciate it when you check out materials and don't bring them back - and then deny you ever did it.

What they do appreciate is your patience and cooperation along with your zeal and curiosity. Librarians do their utmost to serve you in an efficient manner, and libraries serve an important function in our society. They are places of knowledge and creativity, portals to imagination and discovery. We mustn't become lax in protecting and supporting them as places of learning and community involvement.

Hayden, Coeur d'Alene, Post Falls, Athol, Rathdrum, Spirit Lake, Harrison, Pinehurst, and the Bookmobile are all here, ready and waiting to serve you.