Ruminations about books

One of my first jobs was working in my local small town library.  The library itself wasn't big.  It was a couple of smallish rooms in the IOOF Hall and could only be got too by walking down the side of the building and up three wooden stairs but my, it was wonderful.  My library card was one of my most prized possessions.  I loved the smell of the books and the quiet that seems to infuse libraries everywhere.   I loved sitting behind the librarian's desk and stamping books for readers to take away. I loved walking in the stacks and putting returned books back in their proper spots.  Most of all I loved choosing a book to read from what to me was an amazing selection.    I was enthralled with Anne Frank's diary, and Pearl S Buck.  Such a romantic child I was!

These days I own books, books I treasure that I have packed up and carted through move after move, books that range from myths and legends, to needlework, knitting, crochet and photography.   Some are well thumbed and some have yellow sticky notes marking pages for reference.  Right now I am looking at Rose Hughes "Dream Landscapes - Artful Quilts with Fast-Piece Applique",   Jeannine Stein's book "Adventures in Bookbinding - Hand Crafting Mixed-Media Books, and my ever present Adobe Photoshop Lightrooms3 book for Digital Photographers - that's the one festooned with yellow sticky notes.   And for light reading I'm going into my own stacks and re-reading Diana Gabaldon's "Outlander", the first book in her amazing series following the adventures of Claire Randall, who slips through the stones and finds herself in 18th Century Scotland.   There are seven books in Gabaldon's series and those of us who are hooked are breathlessly waiting for the 8th to show up. 
I hope real paper books never get lost in the shuffle as we scramble for the next electronic convenience.  There is something quite wonderful about holding a paper book in your hand and turning the pages.