There’s this wonderful place you can visit. It doesn’t cost a dime. And once there, the places you can go are literally limitless.

This magical destination is the library. I know, I know, I’m the biggest nerd. But seriously.

So tonight was the board meeting. And it was typical in all aspects, other than our chairman was absent so the meeting was conducted by my lovely friend (and recent partner in crime), Tracy. Things were clicking along, we were approving budgets for consideration of the county, approving fundraisers, discussing projects that are coming up. I reached for my regional report and found it stuck to the glass topped table. No worries. I’m sure it’s just barely tacked on there. I didn’t even have anything sticky on my plate. What is going on? I finally ripped it free, leaving several bits of paper essentially glued to the conference table. The director had to dribble water on it and scrub. I don’t know how I constantly find myself in these clean up positions. I’m like a three year old. Someday I’ll tell y’all about the gallon of Red Cell I dropped at the Co-op. Or the case of Hearty Hoof that I dribbled from one end to the other.

Now, see, I am obviously not a prototypical board member. Especially one you would picture on the local library board. I’m too young, I’m too bouncy, I’m too everything. On top of all that, I’m a woman. *commence pearl clutching* So I frequently have these…issues. I’m notoriously last minute-I blow in, get my purse tangled in my chair, root around for an ink pen (that will leak and bleed without fail all over everything), I’ll spill my tea/ drop my fork/ get food on my shirt. One time I had a mishap with my lace vest getting hung in a drawer. I don’t know why these things happen to me, they just always have. Being a public servant hasn’t changed a thing. I am a mess, and unsuitable for most presentations.

But they always put me in charge of the alcohol.

🙂

Oh, yes, the library has alcohol. Well, MY library does, because we’re awesome. We have a fundraising event put on by The Friends (not like “The Family”, we are not the mob) once a year after hours, aptly called “Night At the Library” and it’s gobs of fun.

Anyway, tonight, for the director’s report, she shared with us how many books each of the 279 children affected by the wildfire will receive. The primary school age will get upwards of 25!!! We had several organizations donate books (Nora Roberts Foundation, the Dolly Parton Reading Rainbow people, and this great church over in North Carolina, to name a few. And somebody gave $5,000 towards the purchase of new books–that amounted to over 800!!!) So our wonderful director was telling us all about how the project came to fruition and how they’re bundling them this week for the school board to distribute, and how it’s so impossible to think about 279 children fleeing for their lives, coming off that mountain while it’s blazing and…whew.

But they made this YouTube video and it’s quite simply wonderful. Please watch it. You will not find a more accurate portrayal of a mountain woman than our Theresa. Her story is common, but it is also her own.

She voices what many of us have pondered: “I have always wondered what I would take in an emergency situation. I wound up with four things: my mother, our medicine, my pocketbook, and my Bible. When I looked around, those were the only things that were important to me.”

I don’t have to tell you that to be reduced to such a decision is astounding. She’s lived in the same house for 65 years, and that’s what she took, not knowing if she would have anything to return to ever again. I won’t ruin the whole video for you, but please watch. As Sharon says, “Books are as important to me as food and shelter.”

Now you see why I cry in board meetings. They’re real tear jerkers since November.

Join your library. Make something on the 3D printer. Rent a movie. Or heck, check out a book. But support your local library. Because they support your community.