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Things I Didn’t Tell You: Library Edition



In case you have ever wondered how deep my commitment to the truth is, I present some excruciatingly honest revelations.

1. It’s true about the french fries. 


2. While I didn’t find Downtown Library Regret, I did find one rather large block of Objection to one possible library in particular.



I did not include it in my post because 1. It’s not regret, and 2. It wouldn’t be a public library with comprehensive community resources. 

3. I am hearing (though I need to verify) that the same person who testified against prompt renovation at Oakland Mills High School because the new chart proved their needs were not dire is the same person who testified against funding for the new Downtown Library citing the dire needs of Oakland Mills High school. 

Big, if true. 

UPDATE: Not exactly true. OMHS is not named directly. 

I can’t tell if this is an example of Schrodinger’s Public Funding or something more along the lines of Lewis Carroll’s rule from the Mad Hatter’s Tea Party. “The rule is, jam to-morrow and jam yesterday—but never jam to-day.” Although Aesop comes to mind as well…

4. Years ago a kind soul gave me an extra ticket to the library’s Evening in the Stacks fundraiser and I bought a new outfit for the occasion. I’m so grateful I got to have that experience but, given the choice, I’d probably rather go to the library on an ordinary day and look at picture books in the Children’s Section.

5. The day after our ceiling collapsed we were told there might possibly be asbestos and we needed to leave ASAP. We weren’t having much luck getting telephone calls returned from our insurance about relocating to a hotel. 

For a moment it felt like we had nowhere to go. 

We grabbed what stuff we could and headed to the East Columbia Branch library. Did you know that if your ceiling falls in and the air quality of your home is compromised you can go chill out at your public library and they will just be happy to see you?  

Everything in my life was wrong and yet somehow I had a safe, air conditioned place to be, access to clean water, rest rooms, comfortable seating, WiFi, and all the books I could possibly ever want. I won’t forget that afternoon for a long time.

From the late poet Robert Frost: 

Home is the place where, when you have to go there, they have to take you in.

May I suggest:

The library is a place where if you want/need/have to go there, they will take you in. 

There’s no “have to” about it. That’s just how libraries are. 


Village Green/Town² Comments 


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  1. Julia A. McCreadyNovember 23, 2025 at 4:15 AM

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