A love letter to libraries
How to make the most of your library in 2025
Hello, I’m Molly, a full time creator based in the Scottish Highlands. Subscribers can enjoy weekly posts around the themes of slow living, thriving in a creative career, books & nature. Members get access to ALL my content, including video tea times, slow letters and seasonal book reviews.
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I’ll admit, there is nothing glamorous about our local library.
Its tucked away within a leisure centre and, to reach it, you need to pass the echoey reception desk and up a flight of trainer scuffed lino steps, that always gives off a distinct whiff of lycra.
The room itself is small, with a threadbare carpet and tired looking shelves, stocking books covered in protective plastic coating.
I remember when a friend accompanied me on a library visit. Her reaction was distinctly underwhelmed. Having never visited a public library before (remarkable, I know), she’d had expectations of a Harry Potter style room, all spiral staircases and soft lighting. But, what she failed to see was, underneath the garish strip lighting, there were endless magical worlds just waiting to be discovered.
I’ve been visiting libraries for years. My parents regularly took us as children and, as a teenager, it became a weekly habit of mine. I liked the hush of this space and it became somewhere I could go just for me. I visited so often that the titles within the young adult section became so familiar that I could spot a new book in an instant, which was always an exciting day.
As a student, libraries morphed into a different, more serious being. This is where I’d spend hours hunched over my laptop or pacing up and down the aisles, seeking out my next studious textbook. Although I still enjoyed the academic vibe of this setting, it didn’t quite hold the same wonder that I always found in my childhood library.
After graduating, it would be years before I’d visit a library again. I was reading intermittently at this time, mostly non-fiction/self-help titles, and it wasn’t until 2022, when I started picking up fiction again, that the reading bug really took hold.
I quickly realised that, at the rate I was going through books, this could quite quickly become an expensive hobby. So I decided to join the library. And, to my delight, the magic was still there. Waiting for me all along.
Sadly, not everyone appreciates this magic. Over the years, visitor numbers have been dropping and, since 2010, over 800 libraries in the UK have closed for good.
This is nothing short of a tragedy. Beyond my personal attachment to these spaces, libraries have so much to offer. They provide access to resources to those who might not have other options, promote literacy and education, offer a community hub and provide an environmentally friendly option for reading.
The world would be a sorrowful place if libraries disappeared entirely.
So, beyond wanting to share my love for libraries, my aim in writing this post is to gently encourage you to make the most of your own local branch (if you haven’t already). I promise you won’t regret it…
How to fall in love with your library
Browse regularly
I’ve gotten back into the habit of visiting my library once a week and its always a delight. Although our library is small, the books are constantly being shifted around, meaning that it’s always worth a browse. The low stakes of library books (as they are free to read), means that I continue to expand my reading repertoire and have found some new all time favourite authors this way.
Order books
One of the best things about public libraries is that you can order books completely free of charge. As I tend to plan my reading seasonally (as well as leaving room for some impulse reading), I tend to do a batch order of books every few weeks, so that I’ve always got new titles coming my way. Most libraries will also offer this service for audio and digital books, if you prefer these to physical editions.
Work from your library
As someone who is self-employed and works from home full-time, the library offers a wonderful option as a working base and a great excuse to get out of the house. This is especially useful if I an researching a project and need a range of books to hand. I find these working sessions both productive and enjoyable.
Attend classes
Libraries are fantastic community spaces and often offer affordable classes, so its worth investigating at your local branch. This is especially the case if you have young children as there always seems to be some sort of group story time session at my local library that looks like great fun!
Get to know your librarian
Librarians have a wealth of knowledge and I love getting book recommendations this way. Next time you visit, make sure you take the opportunity to pick their brains. If nothing else, this gives you the perfect excuse to talk about books to someone who will actually enjoy engaging (unlike my long-suffering partner!)
If this hasn’t persuaded you to dust off those library cards, then perhaps the words of T. S. Eliot will do the trick -
“The very existence of libraries affords the best evidence that we may yet have hope for the future of man.”
Until next week,
Molly xx
I’m such a fan of the library and consider them vital public ‘third’ spaces for us all. Here in Australia social workers are just starting to be employed by libraries as they are often safe havens for those need to utilise the facilities beyond book borrowing and librarians aren’t trained or qualified in this area of social care.
I live in a small town in Tasmania and my local library has just started a programme where residents can access the building 7am-9pm 7 days a week so now, instead of writing in the corner of my lounge room (I’ve got 4 kids so it’s often chaotic) I have a publicly funded office. This is such tangible creative arts support and I really hope it rolls out in many more states because it’s been life altering for me x
So true. My New Year's Resolution was to obtain a library card. I did it on Jan 2nd. So far this year I have read six novels complements of the local library. (3 physical books, 2 audio, and 1 ebook.) When I use up my stockpile of purchased audiobooks, I will borrrow more of them. Mine is small too, but part of a big city library network, so if I'm patient, I can have almost any book I want within 3 or 4 days.