This week I have been thinking about how thankful I am to be part of a grateful, caring community.  At the library, we see many types of people come through the doors every day.  Many of them need someone to talk to, materials to check out on specific subjects or help filling out forms on the computer.  Librarians are good listeners and try to help with every problem in the best way that they can. We are thankful to live in a small rural community, where everyone tries to answer the call to help others. 

I am sure that it will come as no surprise that at the library, we are thankful for books.  They keep us busy, we buy them, process them, and shelve them all day long. Patrons check them out and return them regularly day after day.  People read them in the library and take them home to read them. They are now available through our e-read apps, Boundless and Hoopla.  We are influenced greatly by the books that we read and the plot that unfolds before us. Books take us places that reality cannot. We can use our imagination to explore worlds that have never been seen by us before. The situations that we encounter in our books, allows us to think about different scenarios and expands our minds. The knowledge that we gain from books is irreplaceable. Come to the library and check-out a book. Let your imagination soar!

“The holidays are the perfect time not just to relax and curl up with a great book, but to reflect on what we’re most thankful for. For many of us, that list includes friends, family, and of course… books! To help reflect on how much joy they bring to our lives, check out these quotes that remind us why we’re so thankful for books.”

1. They provide a great escape from reality.
2. They are proof that magic exists in the world.
3. They make great friends.
4. They transport us anywhere and everywhere.
5. They have the power to change us.
6. They help us know ourselves better.
7. They provide much-needed peace and quiet.
8. They consume us (in a good way).
9. They make us feel connected.
10. They become a part of who we are.
11. They challenge us to learn.
12. They can be therapeutic.
13. They allow us to walk in someone else’s shoes.
14. They keep us renewed.
15. They give us hope. (https://www.bookbub.com/blog/quotes-that-remind-us-how-thankful-we-are-for-books)

Sarah Flanagan is the library director of the Flagg-Rochelle Public Library District.