Vineyard...Libraries!

You don't have to be around here long to notice my passion for the public library. We are often there at least twice a week - even in the most germy of seasons. The week before vacation I took on the arduous task of returning every book we had checked out and paying my balance. Am I the only one who can't go to the library without my credit card? This time it was to pay the "lost book fee" for Bunny Money. $17.48 - not bad for what the library has given us over the years. But this then meant that we were facing a week of vacation with four small paperbacks I had stuffed into my carry on. This was not going to cut it for Sophia's intense literacy regimen. Elmo must be read to.

So...we headed to the library. Martha's Vineyard has six small towns - and each one has its own library! For an island that shrinks in population to 15,000 during the off-season - this is a very impressive feature. Here are four of the six.
The Aquinnah Public Library is my favorite - and I actually had to get the picture off the website. It used to be the schoolhouse for the village. When we drove by there was a sign propped up outside giving its storytime schedule - and it was handwritten. Love it.

West Tisbury Public Library

Chilmark Public Library

Edgartown Public Library

The library we actually visited was in Vineyard Haven. For 10$ you can purchase a temporary card which allows you to check out up to 10 items. Obviously Travis and I both had to purchase one. The librarian seemed aghast that ten items would not be enough for our family. I felt like his response broke what I have always understood to be the secret "librarian code of ethics" - to be completely non-discriminating towards the amount or subject of books checked out and simply be happy that someone out there just wants to read.

As we slowly master this beast called "family vacation" we are learning to transplant a lot of our home routine in the new location. Kids need that. We need that with the kids. The library was a huge win. We got books, DVDs, and spent a morning at Storytime - something we do often at home but Travis can't do with us.

As we were leaving I noticed the "Judy Bloom Young Adults Reading Room" - I asked the librarian (a different non-judging one) how Judy Bloom was connected to the library. "Oh, she has a home on the island, " she answered non-chalantly. Of course she does. And next time we visit I hope to run into Beverly Cleary.