Growing up as I did in the 1980s, libraries were always one of the first stops when it came time to learn something.
It didn’t matter too much what it is that I was interested in, if I wanted to know about it and I wasn’t satisfied with what I found in the set of encyclopedias that we had at home, I would find what I was looking for at the library.
Even as the information age took over and the library stopped being the first place I would look for information, it remained high on the list of places I’d go to when I needed to find something out.
Not only are libraries great places to find out about stuff, they’re a great place to get things done.
Almost without fail, whenever I needed to get some serious work done while I was in school, I would hit the local reference library because there was always a quiet place to hide away and work.
It’s still something I do when I need a place to work.
When I first moved to Summerland I spent the better part of a month occupying one desk or another while I finished up projects and got work done.
There’s just something about libraries that makes them a truly ideal place to get things done.
I’m definitely not alone in this regard.
Libraries and writers have been close pals for nearly as long as both have existed and that relationship is one that is different for everyone who’s ever put words on a page.
On March 12 starting at 10:30 a.m. the Summerland Public Library is going to hosting a writer’s round table to discuss all the things that a library can do for you.
With the way technology has progressed in the last 15 years or so it can be hard to think of anything that a library might be able to do for anyone looking to get started as a writer, but if you’ve never really had a chance to play around with some of the databases that libraries have access to, you’re really missing out on a surprising amount of resources that makes researching something that much easier.
There will be a bit of a talk from the head librarian about the resources available at the library, both digital and traditional, and then there will be an informal discussion about what libraries mean to you as a writer.
This is a great event for anyone who might be interested in writing because you’ll get a fun glimpse at some of the tools of the trade that you might not even have heard of and maybe even a few new ideas for the ones you have.
I know I’m curious to hear what others have to say and can’t wait until next week when I can find out.
Douglas Paton is a Summerland writer and musician. If you know of a local arts and culture event, contact him at dgpaton80@gmail.com.
