A.D White Library @ Cornell University by eflon

For the first time in almost a decade I checked out a book from a library. I don’t know why I ever stopped - the experience is extremely simple and you’re able to read a book for free. I had a book on my Amazon wishlist for a couple of weeks that I held off on buying but was able to read it over the past week after a quick visit to the library.

As a kid I used to go the library all the time and would go through multiple books a week and this brought back all those memories. I feel guilty for abandoning libraries in favor of Amazon and my iPad and think many people are missing out by consuming everything digitally. It’s not just the physical element but also the nostalgia and the knowledge that there were dozens of people who have read the exact same book you’re reading now. Reading a library book makes you feel that you’re a step in the book’s journey as it grows from home to home and person to person. That’s completely lost in a digital world and it will only get worse as libraries change to stay relevant. Until then I look forward to going back and checking out another book.