National Libraries Day

My #shelfie :)

How appropriate that National Libraries Day should come at the end of National Storytelling Week :) You can join in by tweeting photos using #shelfies and share your love of libraries with #NLD15

In my family, we use libraries very regularly. These days they seem to offer so much more than just the lending of books with regular storytelling sessions, games clubs, school holiday activities, internet sessions, talks and reading groups.

We're blessed to have a local library in our village with friendly and helpful staff. I find the threat of library closures depressing, especially knowing that  our little local library is well used by the different generations and by people from all walks of life.

I have always used libraries. As a child, the library gave me access to whole series of books one after the other, without having to wait for birthdays or Christmas to get the next one. As a teenager, came access to the adult section which opened my eyes to history and many new and wonderful topics. As mum with young children, it was joy to go and let them choose their own books and I read many, many picture books with them and we all made new friends at storytelling sessions. As a student, it was so easy to go and pick up a book that 'might' be useful for an assignment without having to worry that it was wasted money. And now as a writer, I borrow piles and piles of picture books trying to find ones that will introduce new areas of interest to my children and yours through Picture Book Explorers.

                       

I'd love to hear what your local library offers beyond books. Is it different in other parts of the country, and in other parts of the world. I'm in Yorkshire, England. Please tell me about your local library in the comments :)