Bookworm at Heart

As I've mentioned before, I absolutely love to read. I love the feeling of being totally wrapped up in something. For me, reading is a way to become completely absorbed in a story and escape the mundaneness of my everyday life. Part of me thinks it's because I secretly long for excitement and adventure, and reading happens to satisfy my craving. Ever since I can remember, I've always loved books. My parents would oftentimes read stories to my sisters and me when we were younger, and we loved it! Looking back on it now, I truly believe that my love for reading has helped me in so many ways. 

First of all, I have learned so many things just from the different books I've read over the years. (I usually don't read informative/nonfiction books so that's saying something!) Not only has it helped me better understand different events and time periods. It has also expanded my vocabulary and knowledge of the english language. (I am in no way saying that I am an expert on these things. There is still so much that I can learn) In addition to those things, I believe reading has also sparked my interest in history and allows me to keep exploring to my heart's content. I know a lot of people my age absolutely loathe reading anything for fun. It makes me sad when I think about how much they're missing out on, but also, I totally understand. I'm sure there are many things that they enjoy that I would loathe just as much. 

I have always considered myself to be pretty creative and imaginative. Even now, thinking about all the stories and games my sisters and I came up with when we were younger amazes me. I think reading has  played a huge role in helping develop our imagination. I look back and think about how content we were with maybe a few toys and our imaginations. 

I'll admit, there are definitely times where I can say that the thought of reading has brought me a feeling of dread. After being in college, reading took on a whole new meaning. I had so much reading to do in my textbooks, that I hardly did any reading for fun the entire year. It made me a little bit sad, but now that it is summer, I am back into the swing of things. If you love reading just as much as I do, I would definitely suggest going to the library. 

I know it may sound corny, and they would definitely be a lot more interesting if they were like the one from Beauty & The Beast (one day I will have that library ;)), but trust me, there are so many good things about them. I used to go when I was little but started going again regularly a couple years ago. I still use the same library card (it is very old and battered) and I think it is free at most libraries to join. I know books can be kind of expensive, so if you hate paying for something you will only read a couple of times (or maybe not even that) you should definitely consider checking out the library. (Haha I guess I kind of snuck a little pun in there) I enjoy popping in and browsing around, but my absolute favorite thing is that I can request books. Now I'm pretty sure not every library will have this. Mine is a chain so it works because they have libraries all around where I live. I can go on the website, sign in using my library card number, and request books that I want to read. This is especially nice if they don't have the book that I'm looking for at the library I go to, because they will bring it from one of their other locations and hold it for me for a certain number of days. Then all I have to do is go pick it up. Easy eh? I can also keep track of what I have checked out, any fines, due dates, and am able to renew things online as well as check the progress of any requested materials. 

Not only is the library good for books, it is also a great place to rent movies and CD's. This may not always be so reliable since sometimes they can be scratched, but it's still better than having to pay, in my opinion. You can also go there and use the computers, or you can bring you own computer and use the wireless for free. The last great thing about libraries are the magazines. I love reading magazines, but don't have any subscriptions. The library has all the ones that I enjoy reading and I think you can even check them out as long as it's not the most current issue at the time. 

All in all, I hope this post helped open your eyes to something you may have never considered. It is a great opportunity and resource that many people are not aware of. Whether you love reading or not, the library has a little something for everyone. 

Does anyone else enjoy going to their local library or reading as much as I do? 

All images courtesy of google