In the latest episode of Other People’s Tweets…
Kelly: How does Columbia Maryland have a 100k population and the worst cell service I've ever seen?
Sydney: My phone fully goes on SOS mode at my parents' house and I wish I was joking.
Raimundo: But the libraries are dope.
Topic 1 - - cell service. Does your experience match those of our tweeter? We used to have terrible cell service inside our house, which is why I have held onto our land line for so long. It was not uncommon to see neighbors sitting outside or walking around the neighborhood while talking on the phone. In recent years, though, it has improved greatly. Is cell service a concern where you are?
Topic 2 - - libraries. You have to know that I got a big charge out of seeing our random tweeter endorse our libraries. At least I hope that’s what he was doing. I guess it’s possible that he’s rolling his eyes at great libraries when what he really wants is good cell service.
Nah. Our libraries are dope.
Dope - -
A word used to describe just about anything good in life, good news, a sick skateboard trick, a nice sports car, etc. Also one of the most casual yet satisfying words in modern slang. It can be used to varying levels of intensity anywhere from a casual "dope" to a mega hype "that's freaking dope man!". (Urban Dictionary)
I’ve been holding onto this image from a tweet about an article in the Detroit Free Press about Detroit Libraries.
Image from Detroit Free Press social media post
The important thing is that people use the library. More usage helps the library. But I also would turn that statement around and say that more usage strengthens the people of Detroit.
“Changing lives while changing with the times is the Detroit Public Library's calling card”, Detroit Free Press (Article is behind a paywall. Working on getting it.)
So more usage strengthens the library while also benefiting the community. During the recent kerfuffle about a new Downtown Library it seemed that a lot of folks didn’t truly understand that.
During the most restrictive part of the COVID shutdown I started reading mysteries. And more mysteries. I’d put in my requests online and the library would notify me when my books were ready. I’d bring a tote bag to carry them home. Then I’d bring them back to get more.
I read so many different series all the way through that recently I have felt a bit bereft. What if there aren’t any books left for me? What if I’m at the end of the line?
Seeing the quote from the Detroit Library article gave me an idea. I am - - shocker! - - going to ask a librarian. I have typed up a complete list of the series I have read and I’m going to go in my beloved East Columbia branch and say, “Help! I need books!”
For a shy person this is going to take some courage. But I keep telling myself it will be worth it. After all, our libraries are dope.
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