By Author Robbin DeMeester
The moment I walk into a library, I'm greeted by a familiar scent that instantly takes me back more than fifty years.
It reminds me of hot summer afternoons growing up in the Midwest, when our house didn't have air conditioning, and the library became my favorite place to cool off. I can still remember the freedom I felt riding my bike to the library on my own, knowing my mom never worried because she knew exactly where I'd be.
Every summer, I couldn't wait to fill another square on my reading log, determined to earn that McDonald's gift certificate waiting at the end. I'm not going to lie — that little prize was plenty of motivation for a kid.
It's also where I first met Pippi Longstocking and Laura Ingalls. They were — and still are — lifelong friends who never even knew me. Years later, after I retired, I found myself back at the library — this time with my grandsons.
One visit turned into another, and before we knew it, we'd explored 18 of KDL's 20 branches together and even climbed aboard the Bookmobile. I'm told I don't ever do anything halfway... apparently that includes library visits.
Every stop gave us something to remember. We loved Alto's cozy charm and the big wooden train the boys couldn't wait to climb on, enjoyed discovering the Kelloggsville Branch tucked inside a school, and never passed up the chance to cross the bridge from the Caledonia Library to the park after choosing our books.
What struck me most was that no two branches were alike, yet they all felt familiar. Each had its own personality, but every visit shared the same comforting rhythm. We knew we'd be welcomed, we'd discover something new and we'd leave talking about what we wanted to come back and do next. And yes... that familiar scent of books was still there, greeting me just as it had when I was a little girl.
Somewhere along the way, I stopped thinking of the library as simply a place to borrow books. We discovered scavenger hunts, KDL Go! Packs, audiobooks, puzzles, crafts and programs. With every visit, I found myself jotting down another idea. Those notes eventually became My Library Adventures.
My hope is that My Library Adventures gives families one more reason to walk through their library's doors. I hope it encourages them to explore a little longer, try something new and create memories they'll still be talking about on the drive home.
Looking back, I realize the library has given me a new chapter at every stage of my life. The best libraries don't simply change what we read; they change what we remember.
About the Author
Robbin DeMeester is a retired educator, grandmother, and author of My Library Adventures. Learn more at robbindemeester.com.
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