A Book by Any Other Name

"A room without books is like a body without a soul."

--Cicero (attributed)

I have been surrounded by books my entire life.  My parents are both educators and avid readers, and although we had little money during the early days of graduate school and babies, we always had books in our home.  The library was a vital part of my childhood and adolescence.  In fact, my first real job other than babysitting was working in the children's room of our local library.  I worked in the library in college as a work study student, and later when I was married with my own family, I took all of my babies to Toddler Time, Story Time, and later, to book clubs at our local library.  In short, I adore books.  So many of my memories center around books and the experiences of reading them.

I had a rather strange teacher for my senior year of high school English.  She was a talented teacher; however, she had some personal issues going on during the year, and she was often nasty and rude to our class.  None of us liked her much, and I often wondered why I'd heard such glowing reviews about her from her previous students.  But one day, late in the year, we were in the library as a class doing research for our final term papers. I wandered through the stacks, touching the spines of old friends and glancing at possible new ones (basically, avoiding the assigned research on Keats) when I found a brand new book.  I opened it and breathed in deeply, "Ummm," I said aloud to myself, "I love the smell of a new book." Suddenly, my teacher appeared as if out of thin air beside me, beaming, and she said, "I know exactly what you mean!"  And for a moment, I could see why she had been a good teacher in the past.  

This week in my technology class we worked with the IPads.  We also discussed books--are they becoming obsolete?  One woman in class said she knows of a private school, Cushing Academy, in Massachusetts whose library has completely gone digital.  No paper books, no paper journals or magazines.  All online. The students all read the digital books on Kindles.  You can read more at http://www.psfk.com/2009/09/the-modern-school-library-no-books.html


I have trouble imagining this.  However, I think our world is moving in that direction.  I frankly have no more space for books in my home.  I've given away bags and bags of baby and children's books, and every year I try to cull some out of my personal library.  The idea of carrying all of my "friends" with me in a single, small package such as a Kindle is appealing.  My husband loves his, and it's been very convenient for him.  Last summer when we traveled to Great Britain, I had one suitcase almost entirely devoted to books:  tour books, map books, and literary works I wanted to review or read before I visited the authors' museums.  Carting 15 books across Great Britain rapidly grew old.  A single Kindle would have been glorious.  So I embrace the idea of digital books, but I still fondly treasure my paper books.  Every book I own has my name, the date I read it, and the place I was when I read it written (scribbled) on the inside cover or first page.  I love to look back through my books and remember reading this one on Cape Cod, this one at home during a cold winter, this one In Austin.  Can I do that with a digital book?  Ah, me.

I do so love the smell of a new book.