Our libraries were county-run  and were recently taken over by the city. During this process, they were closed for about three months. The new, city run facilities opened last week and I can’t tell you how happy I am!

They created “teen” centers in each one, added a slew of new computers and they are in the process of adding additional titles. This is all great, but what we missed before, what was sorely needed, was staff who cared about the patrons. We have that now. I’ve been to two libraries out of the three and so far, everyone has been extremely helpful and seems to really enjoy reading. Seems like such a simple thing but being a reader makes a huge difference.

What did I pick up?

Before I Fall, by Lauren Oliver
Caribou Island, by David Vann
Full Dark, No Stars, by Stephen King
How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe, by Charles Yu
The Upright Piano Player, by David Abbott

I don’t know how I will get through these in addition to everything I have been sent, and everything I’ve chosen to read this summer but it’s the kind of stress that I’m willing to live with.

As for the rest of the day…

I just finished my errands. Can you believe that the Halloween stuff is being loaded into stores right now? Are they crazy? It’s bad enough with the back-to-school stuff but Halloween??

For dinner, I’ve got gluten-free chili cooking in the crock-pot and I am about to enjoy a cold glass of something and sit down with Duma Key. I am 400 pages in and loving every minute of it. What are you up to today?