I am independently happy. My horizons have been stretched around the world and to nearly every state in the US. I am comfortable enough to take months off from work at a time. Work is a pleasure that I continually strive to perfect. I love what I do. I live in a wonderful city (Oakland, CA).
This is worlds away from the impoverished, gang-ridden streets where reading a book or going to the library was an invitation to a beating. Yes, beating from the gangs and beating from parents who saw no value in anything that came from books.
Libraries, books and a mother, who took the time to read to her young son, even while she worked two low-wage jobs to support her family as a single mother, are directly responsible for my liberation from the anguish of a cloistered mind. Sometimes I wonder if “no brains, no pain” might not be an easier way to live but then I experience the joy and wonder of interacting with my peers and my community on a level only granted to those who can see beyond the neighborhood block, and I know better.
Today I became seriously involved with my local Friends of the Library because our City Council is considering reducing library open hours to help alleviate an 83 million dollar deficit. About 30 of us came together to strategize and organize a plan to demonstrate community support for our libraries. We also realized that as a community of volunteers we have to be willing to step up and do our part to ensure that our libraries are supported in such a way that they can not only remain open, but enhance their services.
What is your library story? How has access to a library changed your life? I know that once I can get half of our City Council to tell us their library stories, closing libraries is off the table.
Patrick S. Camacho
Library Advocate
No comments:
Post a Comment