Christie Lagemann: Love your library, this month and every month
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There wasn’t a public library in every neighborhood in my hometown of Santa Rita, a community tucked into the province of Pampanga, Philippines. Public libraries were few and far between, scattered and not easily accessible.
There was, however, a room being renovated in the private school I attended; a room that would be open to all students, where shelves were filled with books that had a knack for inspiring wonder.
I was amazed by the number of books and the quietness in the room. It felt like being at church, because we were only allowed to whisper.
In 1999, I immigrated to the United States with my parents and eventually took the oath of citizenship.
The first library I ever visited in America was the Carnegie Library in Squirrel Hill. My purpose at that time was to search for books about résumé writing and cultural assimilation. I will never forget, because it became clear to me then that my life was about to change dramatically.
Later I met my husband, Gerritt, and we started our family. Taking our children, Juliet and Andrew, to the library became a regular part of our lives. It was a place for us to explore, read, learn and dream. My kids attended story times as infants and toddlers, and over the years have turned the pages of thousands of books.
The Carnegie Library, specifically, has been a constant source of knowledge, imagination, curiosity, social awareness, creativity and enjoyment for our family. It really provided an opportunity for my children to develop a love for books and reading. Every night, before the lights are turned off for bedtime, our family devotes anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour reading books.
It makes me feel grateful — grateful to the point of inspiring me to do something for my home community that would advocate for the importance of reading.
In 2019, we started collecting used books from everyone we know. Thanks to our friends and family, we were able to donate 562 books to children affected by the eruption of Taal Volcano.
The beneficiaries of our book drive are Filipino children living in impoverished circumstances. I am aware that book donations are not going to change their socio-economic environment or alleviate their stress. But my hope is that books could have a positive effect on them, whether brief or long term. The benefits of reading at every stage of a child’s development are well-documented.
And these benefits go way beyond childhood. If children have access to books, they can develop literacy skills that become a necessity to thrive. Books are a source of knowledge, and everyone benefits from an educated society.
For me, the library has become essential; a community organization open and available to every person at every age in every walk of life, where the possibilities become endless.
This month is Love Your Library Month, a dedicated month designed by the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh to reflect on the critical role they play in our society and encourage continued participation and investment in their services.
During my first few weeks in Pittsburgh as an immigrant, the library was a place of information and free knowledge. It embraced diversity, equity and inclusion. Perhaps now more than ever, public libraries are pillars for our society.
If you’re able to, please consider donating during Love Your Library month, as our libraries continue to bounce back from the effects of the pandemic and work to provide essential resources and programs that bring people together.
Thank you for loving your library.
Christie Lagemann is a resident of Pittsburgh and longtime Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh supporter.