Observatory

I was largely raised by libraries.

Sure, there were some actual people who figured heavily in my life. But the first important piece of identification that I ever carried around with me on a regular basis was my Chicago Public Library card.

My grade school didn’t have a dedicated library when I attended. Rather, each classroom had a selection of books that those of us who were in those grades could check out. Some of them belonged to the school, but others were supplemented by books that the teachers purchased to add to their collections. I remember that the best collections were held by our fifth grade teacher, and that I was very excited when I was finally able to borrow from her collection because she had great stuff. Everything Roald Dahl ever wrote? Yes, please! Sideways Stories From Wayside School? How To Eat Fried Worms? James Howe’s Bunnicula series? Double and treble that “yes, please!”

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