CCPL Director Robin Hudson Tells Us Her Library Story
To celebrate National Library Week (April 7th-13th) Cass County Public Library is kicking off a new series, Tell Us Your Library Story.
This year will be the 66th annual National Library Week and event which aims to remind individuals of the role of libraries within their communities in an ever-growing online world. Libraries provide communities with a place to connect, learn new skills, and so much more. So without further ado, Ready, Set, Robin’s Library Story!
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One boring summer Saturday afternoon, when I was 8 years old, my father took me to visit the public library. I was already an avid reader, but was limited by the 1-2 book weekly threshold imposed by my school library, and during the summer I had no new titles to dig into. Imagine my joyful surprise to learn that I could check out dozens of books and keep them for 3 weeks with my public library card. Getting that first library card also made me feel very important, as it was the first form of “official” identification I had to carry with me.
It didn’t take me long to bring a large stack of Nancy Drew novels to the desk for check out. My dad joked about my ambition to read so many books in just a few weeks, but I saw no risk in trying. It was free and as long as the books were returned on time and taken care of, it was worth a shot. The librarian was encouraging and just as excited for me.
Spoiler alert: I didn’t get all of them finished, but I did establish a life-long love of the public library.
Over the years, the public library was my place to discover new books and place to pass the time on a boring afternoon. It was the frequent site of group project meetings and a resource to do research for school assignments. On lazy Sunday afternoons, my dad and I would walk the mile to the library, separate to our favorite sections for browsing and reading, and then stroll home, chatting about everything under the sun. In college, the public library was my resource for internet access and fun things to read when I needed a break from the scholarly reading required by my coursework. I even practiced my typing skills there in preparation for a job interview once. When I became a homeowner, the non-fiction section was a go-to for resources to plan and execute home and garden projects. As a parent, I began to focus on all of the early literacy opportunities available for my young children, like storytime and the summer library program, which allowed us to earn free books to build my kids’ home storybook library.
The public library still offers all of what I sought from it over the years, but I am amazed and proud to see how it has evolved over time, adapting to meet varying needs, yet always seeking to provide access to information for all.
Everyone has a unique library story. I can’t wait to hear yours.
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If you are interested in sharing your library story with Cass County Public Library, please contact the Marketing Department at marketing@casscolibrary.org or 816-380-4600 Ext. 110, or fill out this form.