I work part time in a public library on Long Island and boy have libraries changed. When my children were younger, the library was a wonderful place where we went to read and pick up books to take home. During the summer, they were excited to take part in a program called Reading is Fundamental, where reading a certain amount of books earned them points and books to keep.
The library is now so much more than just books. Fast forward to 2008 and the library, instead of being replaced by the Internet, has now become a great place for all kinds of programs and community events. I can only speak for my library and my area, but we have something for everyone and there are so many added benefits for those with a disability.

First of all, our library can be accessed on the Internet, so patrons can browse and even reserve books and videos from the comfort of their home. The library will call you when your items are in and if you are not feeling well, someone can just pick them up for you with your card. Check if your library has the same feature.
Libraries today have so many programs for all ages and the best part of all is they are free, so if you have to cancel out due to a bad day, you can just call up the library and back out. So many times, even those of us who are healthy, sign up for expensive exercise programs and for one reason or another we end up missing most of the classes and losing alot of money. My library runs recurring free workshops in aerobics and yoga and you know how important exercise is in order to feel your best physically and to fight the blues emotionally.
To meet the needs of so many parents, there are also many programs for infants, toddlers and pre-schoolers. These range from weekly story times to special musical or movement programs. For those parents dealing with a chronic illness, the flexibility of hours and times, as well as the ability to get out of the house and meet other parents, are an added bonus.
If you are the parent of a school age child and are experiencing some “brain fog,” the library is a great place to take your child to do his homework. It’s less distracting than your kitchen and the librarian is always around to answer a question or at least point you in the right direction to a reference book that might help. I also see many children in my area who meet after school to work on both homework and special projects- what a great habit to get into. Two heads are always better than one, especially if one of them has a Lupus fog.
I know when my daughter Christine is not feeling well, it is hard for her to read and concentrate, but the library is a great resource for both magazines, books on tape, Cd’s and DVDs. If you are having a bad day, a bad week, or in Christine’s case right now, a bad month, you might find yourself in bed trying to regain your strength and your health. Filling up the hours with some light magazine reading, relaxing music or some funny DVDs from your local library might be an added boost for your morale.
If you live alone, the library is a great place to get out and socialize a little. It no longer is the silent place where older ladies with glasses shush you. Most libraries now host weekly movies which are pretty current, as well as live lectures and other interesting programs. I see many familiar faces at the library covering all age ranges; some come in once a week and others come in every day. There are also many people, believe it or not, who don’t have access to the Internet, and for them the library is a godsend. Most libraries today have on line computers available for their patrons.
So I hope this stirs your interest a little and gives you the impetus to take another look at your local library- you might be surprised at what you discover.
Written by: Janet Miserandino © 2008, butyoudontlooksick.com