Library tales

I love libraries. All those books -- so little time. And I love the fact that libraries have gone techy -- my library card is a little tag on my key chain, and I can "browse" online, reserve a book online and then pick it up on my way home. But I really miss those due date cards that used to be stuffed into that little pocket in the front of the book. They made such great bookmarks! The computer-generated "receipt" that they give out now looks like every other receipt in my purse and gets lost too easily.
I also love the library's annual book sale. When I picked up my book, we happened upon the last days of the book sale. All the books you can stuff into a plastic bag for the hefty price of one dollar! The selection is usually hit or miss, but it's a great opportunity to take a chance on a book you otherwise might not buy, if you take the time to look through the piles. Jim got a copy of a history book he used in schoool, a book on growing up Catholic (which he proceeded to guffaw his way through for the next several days) and some maps that came from old National Geographics someone had donated to the library. This last resulted in a heated, whispered discussion on book sale ethics. I picked up Ladies of Liberty, Cokie Roberts' follow up to Founding Mothers; a book by Donny Duetsch; Tom Brokaw's Boom, about the 60s; and one of Sara Paretsky's mysteries (my mother was astonished that I, a confirmed serial mystery addict, had never read any of her stuff, especially since it's set in Chicago). And for less than 20 cents each, I ended up with some pretty good reads!