Timesaver: the Library

I love the idea of taking the kids to the library at least once a week. It is important to both Don and I that we pass on a great love of reading to them. I can imagine us spending a few hours looking at books, finding a few good ones to take home, teaching them how to research etc. Growing up, I loved going to the library.

Notice, however, that when I refer to my kids and the library my writing is filled with words like "the idea" and "imagine". You see, right now, with four children five and under the library is not such an enjoyable experience. My 2-yr old son is trying to eat the fish from the aquarium. My 4-yr old daughter is being called down by the librarian for riding the turtle (it's ceramic, but it's on top of a bookshelf). My 5-yr old is busy pulling about 30 books off the shelf to take home. So, for now, those nice calm trips to the library are a figment of my imagination.

For now, I use our public library's online tools to find the balance between introducing my children to lots of great books and saving my sanity. Our library has an option to create an online account, linked to your library card, and request books be placed on hold. I believe the limit is 5 books at a time. From the comfort of my home, I search the card catalog and choose books we want to check out. I place them on "hold" and sometime within a day the librarian calls me and tells me they are ready. Usually I ask my husband to go by the library on his way home from work and pick up our books. It takes about 5 minutes for me to request them and about 5 minutes for him to walk to the check-out desk and pick them up.

Of course, one day it will be beneficial to teach the kids how to act in the library and how to use it, and I will. In the meantime, placing books on hold is a great time and sanity saver.