I love to read. One of my favorite things to do when I have free time is to linger through a bookstore. But as much as I love bookstores, my favorite place is the local library. I was raised in a neighborhood full of kids that trekked together in a pack for a mile down Alum Rock Avenue to hang out at the library. We’d spend hours there, and then cart armloads of books home.
When my children were little, we went to weekly story hours at several downtown libraries, and I did everything the experts recommended to raise readers. I read with different “voices.” I checked out whatever it seemed they enjoyed at story hour. I never went to the library without Jim Trelease’s book and checked out books by themes.
Alas, the effort seemed to no avail. For the longest time, neither of them seemed to ever want to read on their own, and they never were like the children of the founders of Chinaberry Books, (a mail order catalogue for books) who wrote annotations for the catalogues for their mothers about what they loved about each book. Though they had plenty of exposure to libraries when they were young, my trips to the library these days are still solitary excursions.
I write this because the South Valley Newspaper Food and Family section recently featured our South County libraries, and while I was pleased to see it, what they wrote just scratched the surface of all the libraries have to offer. Yes, the staff helps with finding books, very useful when a student has a paper due. They have adult literacy programs, and online homework assistance. The War Time Memories program has provided a fabulous link between young people and members of the “greatest generation” who are leaving us at a very fast rate. What wasn’t mentioned was they are extraordinarily valuable community resource to social services.
Because the library is a warm and safe place to be, the library staff is familiar with and knows very many people many of us only pass without really noticing. Need to know who’s homeless and what their individual situations and needs are and where you can probably find them? See Lani Yoshimura. Need to know about the special needs for those Gilroyans struggling with mental illness? See Lani. Need information on the folks with developmental disabilities who have special transportation needs? See Lani.
Libraries, not just Gilroy’s, also provide valuable services for which they are never credited. They conduct outreach with a staffed table at every community festival or gathering you can think of. Every week day, except Monday, they are bursting at the seams as they provide
a safe place for children to
go after school, making the
library a de facto after-school program/child care center. They have assisted domestic violence victims through a whole range of horrifying situations, providing refuge and then sitting with them as they tell their stories to police. Gilroy’s library is currently hosting a series of discussions on hate crimes and hate speech. The discussions have revealed that the young people in our community are greatly impacted by this.
The qualifications of our local librarians go far beyond a familiarity with the Dewey Decimal system and how to check out books. They are crisis counselors, investigators, child care providers, champions for the most vulnerable among us. They are one of the best deals we have going for our tax dollars.
Every month, when Lani comes to a South County Collaborative meeting and at the end, reads through a long list of announcements, I write it all down with awe and admiration for all they do for our community.
My children have finally reached a place where they, too, love to read. The words “Mom, I’m finished with this book … do you have something else to recommend?” are music to my ears, but they still don’t go to the library unless they absolutely have to. They don’t know what they’re missing. But that’s where they can find me volunteering when I retire, because I always like to surround myself with angels.
Columnist Dina Campeau is a wife, mother of two teens and a resident of Morgan Hill. Her work for the last seven years has focused on affordable housing and homeless issues in Santa Clara County. Her column will be published each Friday. Reach her at dc******@*****er.net.
