A library in your bedroom
- Connie Lacy
- Jul 4
- 2 min read
Updated: Jul 6
Libraries played an important role in my relationship with books from an early age. Especially since I couldn’t afford to buy many books growing up or even as a young woman. I always admired the organization and upkeep that went into libraries. My respect grew when I was ten years old and met a girl named Shirley who lived up the street.
You see, Shirley had a library in her bedroom! Shirley was 13 or 14 years old. The books were arranged alphabetically by the author's last name for fiction and by the Dewey Decimal System for non-fiction, just like the real library. She had a few shelving units but many of her books were shelved on regular pieces of furniture, including her bed’s bookshelf headboard, her nightstands, dresser and chest of drawers. She even had a card catalog!
Each book had a pocket in the back with a card that was stamped with the due date – just like a real library. She required each library patron to have a library card, which she used to check out books at her circulation desk, which was positioned by her bedroom door. She kept regular operating hours but would open for business if you told her you wanted to check out a book. She had hardbacks, paperbacks and comic books. She had adult books and children’s books.
What was Shirley like? She was not a stereotypical librarian. She was bossy and had a loud voice. She knew a lot of things and didn’t mind letting people know she knew a lot of things. I only knew her for a couple of years while we lived in Army dependent housing while my dad was stationed on Okinawa. We went our separate ways when we came back to the States. I wonder if she became a librarian in her adult life. Or if her organizational skills and leadership abilities led her in another direction.
After visiting her bedroom library, I was so impressed that I came home and tried to set up a library in my bedroom. But I quickly discovered I didn’t have very many books and didn’t have the same desire or skills she had.
Gotta give it to Shirley. Hope she had great success wherever life led her.
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