Dear Library,

I wanted to write this letter to first and foremost say, thank you. You've been there for me my entire life. I remember walking through your doors as a child, making a beeline for the children's section, spending hours roaming your stacks, pulling books off the shelves, and falling in love with reading for the first time.

A new city doesn't feel like home to me until I've found you. My new residence doesn't feel complete until I've registered with a new library card, because in my heart of hearts, I am a giant nerd, and a book nerd at that.

I know I am not always the easiest patron, but I'd like to count myself as one of the most loyal. I know I can be a bother, with my seemingly endless holds list, constant demands for new releases to be added to circulation, and my occasional late fees and fines. It's those times that I am grateful for a patient and skilled library staff.

 You are a community, Library, providing patrons not only with an endless amount of reading material, but internet access, job search programs, enrichment for children and teens, and even social events for adults. Even with the world on pause, it has become apparent how special and how important you are, Library. People rely on you, maybe more than they realized.

To the librarians and aids who are working tirelessly during this pandemic, I am so completely thankful for you. Library workers have become essential workers, making sure that we all still have access to books and to other library programming, virtually, in a way that is safe to the public. You have really stepped outside of the box and reminded us that there are ways to support your local library from home, through apps like Libby and Overdrive, which can deliver e-books and audiobooks directly to your device. All you need is a library card. Many libraries are even offering curbside and hold pickup right now.

So, Library, thanks again for everything. Thank you for sparking my first love of reading, for encouraging it, enriching it, and fostering it all these years. Thank you for giving me, and so many others, a safe space to go and be exactly who we are.