Greetings from Philadelphia!
I left Dallas on Tuesday to fly to the City of Brotherly Love for the Public Library Association conference. Here’s my view of Dallas from the air on the first day of spring:
And here’s my view of Philadelphia from the air on the first day of spring:
What a marked difference! A nor’easter arrived at the same time that we did, so this Texan and her husband were treated to a day and a half of snowfall. I found it beautiful! While the snow was swirling, the scene through the windows of my rented apartment and Lyft rides looked like something out of a Dickens novel.
City Hall
PLA2018 is the first Public Library Association conference I’ve attended, and I’m amazed by the scale of this conference. It’s huge! This is a mere glimpse of the gargantuan exhibit hall:
On Wednesday, I had the opportunity to sign advanced reader copies of Falling for You, which will release on May 1st, at the Baker Publishing Group booth. I had a ball talking with the librarians I met! Many of them told me that Christian fiction is very popular at their library, which was wonderful to hear.
Here’s a picture of three of the women who came through my line. So cute!
Today, Thursday, I signed at the Romance Writers of America booth, and had the chance to chat with yet more librarians.
I grew up checking books out at the library. When my kids were small, we’d often visit the library and they’d leave with stacks of books so large that their skinny arms would strain to carry them all. I’ve received numerous messages from readers over the years who discovered my books because they checked one out at their local library.
Suffice it to say, I love libraries. I’m grateful to them for making a world of books available to me and for making my books available to others.
I’m enamored with their conference, too. There were PILES of books available for the taking in the exhibit hall! And some pretty interesting products on display:
A 24/7 “lib dispenser”!
A 24/7 “lending kiosk”!
Over the next two days, His Highness and I will be doing all the touristy things and trying to see as many historical sites and museums here in Philadelphia as we can manage before returning home. I have my walking boots ready!
How have libraries been instrumental in your life?
Happy spring, everyone!
Becky Wade
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Libraries were always a treat growing up. My mom always made it so fun. And when the bookmobile came I was in heaven. Still one of my favorite places to go. ❤️❤️ When the bookmobile came. I always thought how lucky that driver was to travel with books all day. I even thought she got to take them home with her every night. 😊❤️😊❤️
I’ve never experienced a “bookmobile”! I wish I had. What fun! 🙂
I loved going to the library as a child, and passed that love onto my children. I’ve also been very successful in requesting Christian books and Ebooks, including yours, to be added into our library system. That way many others can enjoy them, too.
THANK YOU, Karen! By requesting that your library carry Christian books and ebooks, you’re supporting Christian fiction in wonderful ways. 1) The library is likely to purchase the book and ebook. 2) The library will give many, many more readers the chance to read the books and try new authors. 3) If one of those readers discovers a book she loves via the library, she’s likely to tell her friends about the book, too.
I love my library! I find it amazing that so many books are free to borrow! My kids and I go weekly. I have been blessed by being able to request Christian Fiction for the library to buy. 90% of the time they buy it. Love your pictures! I wish I was closer to get an ARC! Enjoy your time in Philly.
Thanks so much for requesting books, Becky!
I grew up in a small town and loved my little library. Many years later I still use the library to borrow books I just want to read and not buy to keep. Sometimes these are paper books or borrowed on my Kindle. Your books though Becky, I purchase to read and keep to reread. Glad you enjoyed our snowy welcome…I live in PA now.
I’m really enjoying my visit to PA, Carol! I love the history inherent in this city. 🙂
“I grew up in a small town and loved my little library” We’re fortunate to have so many local libraries in this country! I met a librarian yesterday who grew up in another country without easy access to books. Later, she moved to America. She told me how thrilled and amazed she was when she discovered how plentiful our libraries are.
If I am not mistaken, I believe Benjamin Franklin (whose museum underneath his former home you may have visited while in Philadelphia) may have been an influencer in starting a lending library here in the Colonies/US. This city is chocked full of history. I love libraries, too!
Chock full of history!
I love my local library. I can’t afford to buy every book that comes out and I don’t have room to shelve them either. With the library I can read to my hearts content and like you said get to know more authors.
Yes, exactly!
My mother took all of us children to the public library frequently. Since my father took our only automobile off on business trips, we rode the city bus downtown to the library in Richmond, VA, and loved checking out books to read. When in middle school, I worked as a volunteer in the school library, and one of my sisters even became a school librarian.
“Since my father took our only automobile off on business trips, we rode the city bus downtown to the library” I love picturing your family bus trips to the library, Suzanne!
I grew up in a tiny little town that didn’t have a library. One of my fondest memories growing up was the day my dad stopped at a library in another town that was having a book sale. He brought me a small stack of books (books that I still have 30+ years later). He usually left the gift giving to my mom so it was an extra special gift! Library day at school was always a treat for me though! Now, I live in a town where I can walk to my library and I love that. I visit often (both electronically and in person).
“my dad stopped at a library in another town that was having a book sale. He brought me a small stack of books” How sweet! I love that memory, and the fact that you’ve kept that small stack of books.
I love going to the Library. MY husband and I go at least once a week. So thankful to have a town library that carries Christian fiction. WE are also so blessed to have a wonderful church library with a huge selection of Christian books and dvd’s. WE also visit the local libraries when we are on vacation. They are so interesting!
I’m glad you mentioned church libraries, Ermetta! They’re another wonderful source of books for many.
I love libraries. One of the first things whenever we moved was to find the library and get a card! Bonus: some of them were within walking distance. I try to go once a week now.
When I was a child, my mother would take us on the bus to go visit the library. She would research Antiques . Later she became an Antique Dealer. I remember when I was old enough to get my own card! Our library was very old and had lots of nooks and crannies. It was cool in the basement where the children’s section was. Fond memories.
Yes! Growing old enough to receive your first library card was a proud rite of passage. 🙂
From the first day I learned to read, I fell in love with the “spoken word”. Libraries have been a huge part of my life. First the church library where Mrs. Pipkins showed me how to learn more about the Bible and it’s teachings.. Then the school libraries over the years where in high school, Mrs. Cailouette took me under her wing. In college where I majored in Library Science. During all this time I frequented the public library at least once a week. My first job was in a high school library. Fast forward to today, where I volunteer in the church library and have for almost 40 years. Needless to say, I “eat” “sleep” and “breathe” books.
How neat to see the name of my company (Ingram) in your first picture of the exhibit hall. Libraries are so important to me not only professionally, but also personally. My mom took me when I was little and even as an adult, I usually go at least once a week and currently have 10 books on hold. My niece is a manager of a public library in a neighboring county. When I was in New York on vacation, I took a tour of the New York Public library and could’ve spent a whole day there just inhaling the scent of all those wonderful books. 🙂
One of my aunts was the bookmobile driver when I was growing up. She stopped by our house every two weeks and ate lunch with us. I loved those days. I’d eat quickly so I’d have more time to browse for books!
When I was a kid growing up on a farm in rural Kansas, we didn’t have a nearby library. During the school year, we’d check out books from school, but during the summer, especially, we were able to check out books from a catalog that would come from a larger library system. The books would come in the mail, which was always exciting. I’ve lived quite a few places since then and I’ve always searched out the library. When we’d found the library and a good church, we knew we’d be okay living in that place. My kids and I made regular trips to the library. I’m thankful they are still readers as young adults. I love that through inter-library loan, my library can get almost any book I want to read.
I love libraries! I have discovered many new-to-me authors just from roaming the shelves. My library also has a lot of other programs too, like music and movies. I’m in a book club with some friends and we make our selections from the book-in-a-bag program, which has stretched us out of our usual book comfort zones. And my little granddaughter is now learning about the joys of so many books in one place!