For the Love of Libraries

Hi everyone,

Some recent events got me thinking about things. One of the hardest parts of being a relatively new published author is dealing with the glimpse behind the curtain at an industry that seems to enjoy hanging some heavy drapes. There are practices, or philosophies in the industry I do not agree with, and yet, I hardly have the clout to change them on my own.

Maybe one day I'll be able to fight the good fight, but right now I feel like a child watching a bitter battle and unable to lift a sword. While I believe it is wise to keep a lot of my personal opinions to myself so as not to burn any bridges I may have to cross, I can express my positive and supportive thoughts, because positive and supportive thoughts are almost always appreciated.

So here it goes.

I love libraries, and I don't understand any author having personal animosity toward them.

When I was in fourth grade, I read the book Rabbit Hill. I checked it out from the library to use in a class project because I liked stories about animals. In that book I found a philosophy that I have embraced for the whole of my life.

Rabbit Hill is the story of a group of animals living in the woods on the outskirts of an abandoned farm. Life has been hard. Without the farm crops to sustain them, they have been suffering. New people buy the farm and move in, but that brings new anxieties as the animals wonder if the people will leave them be, or hunt and trap them, making their lives worse.

Sure enough, the people plant their gardens and crops, and while the animals are suspicious of their intentions, they don't seem to do harm. When the crops are ripe, the new people set out an offering at the edge of the woods to the animals. It is all the animals would need to eat. As a result, the animals mark off the garden as sacred ground, vowing not to touch a single crop. They even set out to protect it from pests that would not heed this vow.

In the end, the neighboring farmer cannot understand why his garden is torn apart by crows, rabbits and cutworms, while the new farmer's crops are pristine and fruitful.

It's a simple message, generosity and good will pay off in the end.

When I think about the state of libraries, this book comes to mind. In my life, I've always tried to be the "good farmer" and give altruistically without remorse or regret. I think for any author or publishing company, seeing a library as something that eats away at the fruits of your labor is counter-productive. Libraries are amazing places where reading is cherished and encouraged. Libraries create new readers. Libraries create fans and readerships. Libraries spread the word about good books and encourage people to try new things.

I don't see how any of that possibly hurts me. I love libraries, because I love books and people who love books.

As I think about Rabbit Hill as an adult, I wonder why the farmer did it. Why did the farmer give so freely? In the book it was clear that they weren't giving of their crops with an expectation that their garden would be spared from pests. Their offering wasn't a payoff. They gave to the animals because they loved animals. They wanted the animals to be healthy and happy.

I want libraries to be happy and healthy as well. They make our lives richer, not poorer, so it's time to give freely. I'd much rather be generous to the libraries than lamenting the losses to piracy, which, like the cutworms in the story don't respect any rules at all.

So, three cheers for our libraries. They are the foundations of civilizations, and our lives would be poorer without them. Support them freely.

Happy reading,

Jess