In my wallet are loads of necessary inconveniences: ATM and credit cards; medical, dental, and prescription cards; driver license and car registration; AAA, Borders, BJ's, Shop Rite, and hotel membership cards; and bus, train, and subway passes.
But I never leave home without my library cards. I have one for Sayreville, NJ, where I live; one for Long Beach Island, NJ, where I have a vacation home; one for New York City, where I pay a lot of taxes; one for Rutgers University, where I was a graduate student; and one for Middlesex County College, where I have occasionally taught. The benefits of owning a library card are endless, but to mention just six:
- freely borrowed books CDs, and DVDs
- used but high-quality cloth-bound books for 25 cents
- opportunities to hear presentations from invited local authorities
- the expertise of librarians, who know a lot about a lot of things
- a quiet place to read, relax, and reflect
- a great repository of ideas for the stories, letters, or school papers you want to or need to write
Be a card-carrying member of your neighborhood library! You're entitled to it—and they'd love to have you! What a privilege to own a library card!
