Library Cats

Apparently library cats are a real thing. 

Wikipedia defines library cats as “domesticated cats that live in public libraries worldwide. The association of cats with libraries continued from Middle Ages up to present day.”

Cats were used during the Middle Ages in monastery libraries to help control the rats who liked to feast on manuscripts.

Today however, they are there to “befriend patrons, boost librarian morale, and inspire reading and literacy programs.”

A real life example of a library cat is Dewey Readmore Books. He lived in the Spencer Public Library in Iowa for nineteen years. 

His story is published in the book Dewey the Library Cat by Vicki Myron with Bret Witter. I highly recommend this sweet story if you haven’t had a chance to read it yet. 

I wish my local library had a library cat. How about you?

If you’d like to learn a little more about current library cats I’ve included a link below:

https://oedb.org/ilibrarian/quick-guide-library-cats/

                                                        

  

A New You

As a young teen I spent many an hour pouring over a self-improvement book by Emily Wilkens entitled, A New You. Now because I did not own the book I had to resort to checking it out from my local library. I must have checked that book out a hundred times keeping my fingers crossed that this time it would result in a total transformation.

Today that same book, which is now out of print is listed on Amazon for $325.00. At the time, however, I considered its worth priceless because it seemed to hold the key in my thirteen year old mind to beauty and popularity. 

What I didn’t realize about that treasured tome was that it would start a life-time habit of perusing the Self-Help aisle looking for that elusive “perfect” book that would somehow solve all my insecurities, doubts, and result in a new me. 

Thankfully, that quest has ended as I’ve come to the conclusion that the old me was pretty much fine to begin with. That and the fact that my acne cleared up. 

Several years ago I visited the library of my youth, and was disappointed to find that the book was no longer on the shelves. I can only imagine the allure it had for other young girls, and can’t help but feel a little responsible for wearing it out. 

Book Clubs

I’ve  belonged to several book clubs since I retired. I can honestly say that I’ve enjoyed most of the books I’ve read. There really only was one, Love in the Time of Cholera, that I really didn’t like. Who am I kidding, I absolutely  hated it, and it was a torturous read. 

To make matters worse, my poor Dad needed surgery, and I was unable to attend my Book Club meeting that month. I had suffered through the whole book, and never had a chance to complain. Or perhaps understand why others who had enjoyed the book. After all, it was a best seller. 

What I have enjoyed about being a member of a book club, though, is the opportunity to read books that I may not have ever picked up to read. There generally are a variety of books from various genres. I’ve also enjoyed getting to know the members of my book club, and learn from each of them. Although, I might not always have agreed it was good to hear different perspectives. 

I’ve recently been invited to join a book club here in De Leon. In fact, my book arrived today in the mail, and I’m looking forward to meeting fellow book lovers in my community.

What has been your experience with book clubs?

Nancy Drew

I didn’t discover Nancy Drew until I was in fourth grade. I was hooked immediately.  I remember the girls in my class sharing books with each other. We couldn’t wait to get our hands on the next adventure. Sharing our love of these books was a common bond among the girls in my class. 

Along with the lure of the mysteries that Nancy solved, I loved just reading about Nancy herself. She was smart, and independent, a good daughter and friend, and daring. I really admired her courage.

 

I wanted to be just like her. It wasn’t until I was a little bit older that I realized that I was pretty much a chicken at heart. I remember walking through a neighborhood that was not my own, and pretending to be a detective just like Nancy. It was at that moment it hit me like a ton of bricks. I really wasn’t brave enough to follow in her footsteps. 

Life went on, but it did make me a little sad. However, I think a lot of Nancy’s spunk still stayed with me over the years. 

What I do know for sure was that Nancy opened a door for me about the magic of books. Each time I opened a book I would be transported to a different time or place. I could laugh or cry, and learn more about myself and others.  

Even today I love the impact that books have on me. So brave or not Nancy really did influence me, and made a difference in my life. 

Did you read Nancy Drew books? 

The Midnight Library

 

Did you know that the most checked out library book at the Boston Public Library in 2022 was The Midnight Library by Matt Haig?

I purchased this book a few months back because I was intrigued by the title. I seem drawn to books about books. After reading the blurb I was totally hooked. Amazon describes the plot like this:

“Somewhere out beyond the edge of the universe there is a library that contains an infinite number of books, each one the story of another reality. One tells the story of your life as it is, along with another book for the other life you could have if you had made a different choice at any point in your life.”

After returning home I took advantage of the beautiful day and sat out on the front porch to begin reading the book. I ran inside for a minute and when I returned I learned something new about my dog Honey. 

Apparently she is a book lover too, and can’t wait to sink her teeth into a good book!

Library Cards

 

Each time I move to a new community one of the first things I do is get my library card. 

I remember years ago when I was single and living in Duncanville I actually paid to have a Dallas Public Library card. It was a punch card system which limited the number of books I could check out. That made choosing which books to take home more of a challenge. 

Often times I live in one community, but still take advantage of using other local libraries when they are available.

One of my favorite libraries was the North Richland Hills Public Library. I belonged to a book club there, and attended their author talks. 

My Dad was a lover of the library as well, and he is the one who took me there first. I learned to drive on Saturdays when we went to the library. Inevitably I’d run over the same curb every time I took a t right on Illinois Avenue to make my way home. 

I looked around for some old library cards, but I must have gotten rid of the ones I know longer used. I wish now that I had kept them all. 

Do you make getting a library card a priority when you move somewhere new?

Kindred Spirit

 

“When I have a little money, I buy books; and if I have any left, I buy food and clothes.”

Erasmus

Erasmus was a Dutch philosopher and a Catholic theologian who was born in the year 1466.

I found it somewhat amusing that I shared a common sentiment with a man who lived over five hundred years ago when it came to books!

Do you share his philosophy as well?

The Generational Apple

I discovered while reading a biography about my family, written by my Father’s brother, Edmund, something pretty amazing. 

 I came across the following passage about my grandparents, and I knew immediately that I had inherited their love of reading. 

“Ma, as was Pa was one of the best read people I have ever known. There was dedicated in that house at Milton Avenue a room alternately called the sitting room or the library. There were floor to ceiling shelves filled with books. One of my memories was of Ma and Pa discussing their co-reading of Will and Ariel Durant’s works such as their five volume, “Story of Civilization.”

Obviously the generational apple didn’t fall far from the tree. 

My Library

 

Sometime near my high school graduation I made a list of things I wanted to do with my life. Number 12 was, “Develop my own personal library.”

Although I’ve always had books I’ve not always had a place dedicated to them alone. When we lived in our last home in Frisco I asked Chuck to build shelves in the closet of the room we used as our study. Over time I collected a series of bookshelves here and there to house my ever growing collection. 

When we moved to our apartment I only took the number of books that would fit on the one bookshelf that made the cut. It didn’t take long before I needed more room. 

When we decided to build our country home, I shared with Chuck my dream of having a room full of bookshelves to hold my books. We decided to dedicate one of the extra bedrooms as a library.

Along with the bookshelves we included cabinets for photo albums, scrapbooks, and other memorabilia. We also added a window seat between the two built in bookshelves on either side of the wall. 

I couldn’t have been more pleased. My dream of having my own personal library had come to fruition.

The other day one of my dear teacher friends posted a picture of her newly created home library. Her and her husband had transformed their rarely used formal living room into a library. They utilized the Billy Bookcases from IKEA, and finished them off with the same trim found throughout their house. 

It looked amazing and I’m including some pictures below. She told me that you can google Billy Bookcase Hacks to get lots of ideas if you are interested in transforming a part of your home into a library. 

Tsundoko

 Do you , like me, suffer from Tsundoko? Tsundoko is the Japanese term according to Wikipedia for  “the phenomenon of acquiring reading materials but letting them pile up in one’s home without reading them.”

For me it’s not that I buy books with the intention of not reading them. There is always something that attracts me to them. Sometimes it’s the title, but more times than not it’s the actual book itself. 

I love beautiful books, unusual books, books about art and creativity, devotional books, cookbooks…

Okay I just love books! I have every intention to read them all completely, but sadly this doesn’t always happen. However, even the smallest amount of time I spend with each book brings me joy. Seeing them on my bookshelves brings me joy. Knowing they are there for me to refer to when the moment strikes brings me joy. 

What can I say? I’m crazy about books. I rarely pay full price for books, but rather look for books at half-price book stores, thrift stores, garage sales, and even at library book sales. 

Each time I look for books it’s like a treasure hunt, and I’m thrilled to walk out the door with my new find in hand. 

When we moved into our new home my son-in-law carried thirty boxes of books into our house. In contrast I carried about three boxes of shoes into my closet. You can tell where MY heart lies!

I’ll share with you about where all those books ended up in my house on a future post. One thing though, you can be sure of, is that you’ll always find the end table in my bedroom overflowing with a tower of books resting precariously in hopes of not toppling over while I’m fumbling for my glasses in the middle of the night!

Are you guilty of Tsundoko? 

“Fill your house with stacks of books, in all the crannies and all the nooks.”

Dr. Seuss

Intermission Bookshop

 

If you are ever in Brownwood, Texas you might want to visit the Intermission Bookshop. During World War II this building was actually a movie theater called the Queen Theater. Apparently it was open all night, and soldiers who could not find an available hotel room would spend the night at the theater. 

When visiting for the first time I was informed that you could see where the soldiers had rested their heads up in the balcony. So much history here, and such a delightful place to spend pursuing the new and used books. 

Perhaps the coolest thing about the shop is the book tunnel. That alone will make your trip worth it. When I visited I found a hardback copy of the original Clifford the Big Red Dog which was always a favorite with my kindergarteners. I also found Re -de-fin-ing Rich by Shannon Hayes. This was an interesting perspective on wealth and small businesses. 

Across the street from Intermission Bookshop is a fun shopping space called Shawn’s Market, and if you are hungry there is a Fuzzy’s Taco or The Turtle Restaurant, which I highly recommend.

I’m looking forward to exploring some more independent bookstores in my area (Glen Rose, Stephenville, and Clifton are on the list).

If you know of an independent bookstore in your area please share so others can enjoy the book experience there. 

Intermission Bookshop

203 Center Ave.

Brownwood, Tx 76801

The Hundred Dresses

 Do you remember the first book you fell in love with? For me it was The Hundred Dresses by Eleanor Estes.

I remember being in third grade, and not being able to put this book down. I continued reading it while I walked home from school, literally with my nose in the book. 

The story is about a poor girl named Wanda who always wears the same blue dress to school. The other girls make fun of her, especially when Wanda claims she has a hundred dresses at home. 

I remember it was around this time in my life that my Dad, who was a book lover as well, began taking me to the library. This began a life-long love affair with books. Thank-you Dad for sharing your love of reading with me. Today I have a copy of The Hundred Dresses which I keep displayed on my bookshelves. Each time I look at it it brings back such fond memories. 

Do you have a favorite book that got you started down the reading path?

How Reading a Book in an Unconventional Way Made For a More Enjoyable Read

 

A few months ago I read my first book by Jodi Picoult. Now to be honest I’m not sure why I was so late to the party because she has been a best selling author for years. 

The book I chose to read was Leaving Time. As I had read reviews about the book one thing that several people had mentioned was that they did not care for all the information about elephants included in the story. Now this was actually one of my favorite things about the story, but I’m a sucker for information.

As I made my way through the book for what ever reason I found myself losing steam. This is often the case for me when it comes to fiction. Although, I did increase the amount of fiction I read this past year, my attention span is not what it used to be. (Thank you internet and iPad)

So instead of giving up completely I did something that probably isn’t considered proper book etiquette. I flipped to the end and read the last few pages. Horrors!

However, in doing so I was completely intrigued and was hooked back into reading the rest of the story. Without giving too much away I thoroughly enjoyed the story being more aware of plot twists as they happened. 

If I had read in a more traditional way I think I would have missed out on the hidden message of the book, especially because I probably would never have reread the book. I’m not really one to do so. 

So do I recommend reading the book this way? YES!!!

Read about halfway through and then read the end, and then pick up where you left off. I hope you enjoy the book as much as I did. 

Let me know what you think?

Winter Book Tips

 

Welcome

 Welcome to Butterfly Wings Books! I’ve often pondered what it would be like to open my own bookshop. Books and book places have been my favorite things over the years. 

As I thought more about it ideas began to flow, and one thing led to another and here I am opening a bookshop of sorts. No overhead, no inventory, no initial financial investment, just the act of sharing the love of books and reading. 

I hope you drop by from time to time to share with me what books you love, and how they have made a difference in your life. Plop down in a comfy chair, preferably with a sleeping kitten nearby, and indulge in a steaming cup of tea. 

Let’s allow our ideas and imagination to take us all the places books have a way of doing. 

“I cannot live without books.”

Thomas Jefferson