Skip to main content

LOL



I did. Laugh out loud, that is, when I saw this announcement from the Rotary Club of Columbia/Patuxent:

Support group?

 I have thought of the Friends and Foundation of Howard County Library in many different ways but I must admit I have never thought of it as a “support group.”

Who should use support groups? (From Mental Health America)

Support groups are offered as a space where individuals can come together to share their stories, experiences, and lives in a way that helps reduce isolation and loneliness. Oftentimes, we think we are struggling alone, but support groups help us see that there are others who may dealing with similar situations and who in turn can help us get better. 
My imagination ran wild with the thought of an assortment of bibliophiles meeting together in a circle of folding chairs, each revealing a confessional truth in turn.
“I have twenty-seven overdue books.”
“I’m forty-five and I still love picture books.”
“I sneak in and clean the study tables with wet wipes.”
“I love the smell of new books.”
“I’m very competitive with my number on the waiting list for best sellers.”
Lest someone suggest that I am making fun of the Rotary, I most certainly am not. I am keenly aware that I have an odd sense of humor and an overactive imagination. This is probably why I am such a big fan of Mickey Gomez, who, along with Phillip Dodge, will be giving a presentation at The Rotary this morning about the Friends and Foundation organization. Mickey brings imagination, humor, and enthusiasm to anything she puts her hand to on the local scene.
I touched base with Mickey last night to ask for her informal description of the Friends and Foundation of the Howard County Library. (Truth in advertising - - I didn’t tell her about the “support group” moniker.) She began like this:
I'd say it's a group of people who value our library system, and who recognize that their contributions go towards strengthening the library's ability to offer new and innovative opportunities.
Her next sentence captured my imagination.
It's a group I love, filled with people who celebrate my very favorite library system.
Well, that’s definitely a support group I can see myself being a part of. And that is how I came to click on over to the website, renew my membership in the Friends organization, and make a donation in honor of Mickey Gomez.
Maybe LOL should stand for Love Our Library, too.




Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Teacher Gifts

Today is the last day of school before the Winter Break. It’s a good time to remember the far-reaching nature of our public school system. You may not have children. You may have sent your children to independent schools. It matters not. You will be impacted one way or another. Yesterday I read a long thread on Facebook about several waves of illness in the schools right now. There’s influenza A and norovirus, I believe. And of course there’s COVID. Apparently in some individual schools the rate of illness is high enough for school admin to notify parents.  When I was little the acceptable holiday gift for a teacher was one of those lovely floral handkerchief squares. (I don’t know what it was for male teachers. They were rare in my elementary years.) These days the range of teacher gifts is wider and I have fond memories of Target gift cards which I have written about before. I think it’s safe to say that giving one’s teacher Influenza, norovirus, or COVID is not the ideal holiday...
1 comment
Read more

They Can Wait

This is not a typical Saturday post. That’s because, in my community, it’s not a typical Saturday.  Oakland Mills High School, after years of deferred repair, needs massive renovation. It’s pretty simple: when you don’t fix a problem it gets bigger. The school system itself said the the OMHS school building was  "no longer conducive to learning" back in 2018.  2018 .  But Thursday the Boad of Education voted to push it out of the lineup of important projects which will be given the go-ahead to proceed soonest.  In my opinion it’s a terrible decision and sets a dangerous precedent. To explain, here’s the advocacy letter I sent in support of Oakland Mills High School. I was rather proud of it. I am writing to ask you to proceed with needed renovation at Oakland Mills High School in the most timely and comprehensive manner humanly possible. I have read the letter sent to you by the Oakland Mills Community Association and I am in complete agreement. You are extremel...
1 comment
Read more

F ³: Who Belongs at the Library?

  One of these things is not like the others One of these things doesn't belong Can you tell which thing is not like the other By the time we finish our song?* Did you guess which thing is not like the others? Did you guess which thing doesn't belong? If you guessed this thing is not like the others Then you're absolutely right.  Our library promotes equity. Our library promotes literacy for adults who have come here from many places. Our library promotes accessibility to materials and opportunities. Our library is hosting multiple Harry Potter themed events?  Tell me this isn’t so. J.K. Rowling, author of the Harry Potter book series, has and continues to use the profits from those books to advocate for laws that diminish the rights of trans people. She has and continues to use her fame to influence public opinion to view and treat trans people negatively. In short, Ms. Rowling is using the Harry Potter book series to make transgender people around the world less safe....
1 comment
Read more