“Robin, have you ever thought about opening a library?” That simple question, asked on a hot, muggy day in August, 2001, changed the trajectory of my life and the lives of the families who would someday walk through my library door. My husband, 10-year-old son, and I were attending a living books gathering “on the…

From Kathie Johnson of Neighborhood Children’s Library in Berkley, CA. How My Library Came About I began collecting books as a young 5th-grade teacher. My principal’s wife was big on book fairs, and I got hooked. This was in the 1960’s, and many of the large publishers were just coming out with paperback versions of their children’s…

Growing up, I loved to read. I think I read everything in our school library, especially the elementary school library. Both of my college degrees are in education, and my favorite courses were Children’s Literature. As I began teaching school in upstate New York and in Pennsylvania, my knowledge of children’s books, authors, and illustrators…

From Michelle Howard of Children’s Preservation Library in Michigan and Living Learning Libraries in Florida. Check out Michelle’s Plumfield Moms podcast interview here. Michelle’s website is a treasure trove of library resources. So you’re starting a “living books” library, or prayerfully considering such a decision! Wonderful! It might surprise you to know how great is the need. It…