http://www.care2.com/greenliving/go-green-go-to-the-library.html
Go Green, Go to the Library
The American Library Association has designated September as Library Card Signup Month. Now this may seem like a novel observance, but in my book, it is seriously cool. There’s the reading, there’s the reuse of books. And then there’s Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, the NBA’s all-time leading scorer and author, who is serving as the 2008 Honorary Chair for Library Card Sign-up Month. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar! (The secret’s out, I am a closet NBA fan.)
But seriously, what could be better than the library? I used to practically live at the library as a kid–although now, more often than not, I click on over to Amazon and buy a new book rather than walking six blocks to check one out. Bad me. That’s a pretty atrocious habit of convenience that I have slipped into, and one that, with the urging of Kareem, have decided to abandon. Even though I always try to pass my books on, I am still encouraging the production of more stuff thus depleting resources, and my new book passed on will surely still have a shorter shelf life than one repeatedly circulated through a library. So the bottom line is this, borrowing books from a library saves trees and reduces resource consumption. I knew this, it just took the American Library Association to jog my habit-riddled brain a bit.
And I’d like to point this out as well: Libraries offer more than books. They have magazines, audio- and videotapes, computers, software and other multimedia materials. Libraries offer a wide range of other items on loan to children and their families, including toys, games and puzzles. Most can be borrowed for home use simply by showing a library card.
The American Library Association reminds us that libraries also offer programs to stimulate an interest in reading and learning. Preschool story hours expose young children to the joy of reading, while homework centers provide computers and assistance to older children after school. Summer reading clubs keep children reading during school vacation and have been shown to be the most important factor in avoiding the decrease in reading skills that educators refer to as “summer learning loss.”
OK, sold. (Although Kareem had me at “hello.”) To find your local library, visit Libraries.com, and also don’t forget to check out Presidential Libraries, College and University Libraries, and note that many museums even have libraries.
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44 comments
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Kabin
Konteyner,Prefabrik
mega kabin
Konteyner
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why is this inappropriate?
I myself am an avid reader and if I can't find what I want in a library I will often look for ebooks that I can either read on my pc or mobile phone or nintendo DS .The books that I bought or was given as gifts and accumulated over yrs and had finished with I donated to our local hospital.
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I am a reference librarian in a public library, and I am moved to contribute to the conversations. Thank you all so much for your positive comments on libraries. It does this old librarian's heart proud. Libraries are definitely the best deal in town, and I'm thrilled so many of you have discovered that. I just want to add that if your library doesn't have exactly what you want, please speak to the librarian. Ve haf vays of borrowing things for folks from other libraries all over the country. Libraries are pros in recycling and sharing resources!
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I frequent the library often. The library system near me is awesome, it has won international awards, is rated number 1 according to some listings (haplr) and has things that are difficult to even buy. I go at least once a week and take out DVD's and books. It's the only place I know to get some Japanese and Hong Kong films that were not released in the USA. It has both wireless and 20 computers to use for the internet. I can praise the library near me for quite a while because it is that awesome. They even organize events like monopoly challenges, WII nights, have classes (they'll teach you how to use a computer for example), host events (like Mercy For Animals vegan dinners) and have speakers show up.
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My mom worked as a librarian when I was a child so she'd be taking me to her workplace, even when I was just a baby. :) I always feel at home in a library. Also, please remember BookCrossing, making the whole world our library. I host a BC group here on c2, please feel free to check it out
http://www.care2.com/c2c/group/BookCrossingWorld
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i like going to the library.i always find something good
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I do think it's an amazing place. I wish I was more involved with the main building, but I sneak behind to "The Friends of the Library" which is ultimately amazing. Your money goes to a good cause and they sell books for like .25 - $1.50. Children are so important. TLC is deffinately found in libraries!
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I agree with Margaret C. When we are done with books, we can donate them to Friends of the Library groups so that they can resell them to other avid readers. We can check out books that we are interested in reading but don't have a huge passion to buy, and then we can buy those books whose authors deserve to be supported. Margaret C. was correct when she said that if all of the world stops buying books, then the publishers will cease to publish books.
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Thanks for plugging libraries! I just want to add that we offer programs of interest to adults as well as for children... everything from book discussions to movies to travelogues, art exhibits, computer classes... you name it, there's probably a library program on it! We've even held programs on recycling and living green!
~A librarian and proud of it!
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Our friends share our books, both the cost and reading, then we donate them to the local retirement homes. We also use ecards so we don't waste that paper unless absolutely necessary.
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