Episode 04 Recap
In this episode, I'm joined by Beatriz Morales, librarian and all-around cool human, as we talk about libraries, whether or not the children are reading, and why we should broaden our definition of literature.
Before you read on, I need you to know two things: Beatriz is the most fun librarian I have ever met, and when we told her about this podcast being a top secret for a while, she immediately told her boss.
on the magic of libraries
As a PBS kid, I’m not ashamed to admit that my introduction to the library came from the Arthur episode where D.W. gets her library card. The power of books wasn’t lost on me, and suddenly I could access them endlessly at my school library. The magic only grew when my tía took us to the public library in the summer, where there were ten times as many books. Plus, they had computers you could reserve for 30 minutes at a time, which I used to play Funbrain (the OG home of Diary of a Wimpy Kid) or to look up turtle pictures for a school project. I could print, borrow movies, make crafts, and even eat snacks. It felt like magic.
In this episode, I compare the library to the Room of Requirement. For the uninitiated, that’s a room in Hogwarts that transforms into whatever the person inside needs at that moment. As an adult, that’s exactly what the library feels like. Need a quiet place to study? To print your résumé? To get out of the heat? To meet friends or entertain your kids? To find a thoughtful, handmade gift for Mother’s Day? Want to talk to someone who somehow knows how to find anything? Or 3d print that piece that broke off that thing that one time that you really wish you could replace (our library is seriously amazing)? The library is your place. Best part? It’s free.
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