I’ll just say it — reading is one of my favorite things. I’m one of those people who carries a book in my purse “just in case.” Used bookstores are my happy place, and I usually have a book in the works.
But I realized something about myself this summer. My reading fever is completely seasonal. For example, this summer, I read 31 books (shout-out to Goodreads for keeping track of that). How many did I read last school year? None — aside from required reading.
It seems like my enjoyment for reading flies out the window when someone tells me I have to read a chapter or book. Therefore, while at school, reading is at the bottom of the list of enjoyable activities I engage in, but I’ve decided to change that. So I headed to the Huntington Public Library to see if I could check out a few books for free. I always figured that since I wasn’t a permanent resident of the county, I would have to pay.
The good news: Huntington University students can get a free card, renewable each for each school year. The bad news: I had to go back to campus to get a letter from Margret Pasko confirming my full-time enrollment.
After returning with the letter, the process was straightforward. I filled out basic information, and librarian Linda issued me a card that expires in May. She also gave me a mini-tour of each section, which was helpful considering the Huntington library is at least double the size of my hometown’s.
What’s more, the library even has collections of movies and television shows that aren’t on Netflix, including “Game of Thrones” and the recently removed “Dr. Who.” They have an Indiana genealogy section, so if your family is from Indiana, you can use this service to explore your ancestry. Also, your favorite books and magazines can be found online for download to your tablet, reader, or laptop for reading on-the-go.
I perused each of the main sections of the library, with special attention to fiction and young adult, before remembering a few non-fiction books I had been wanting to read. I started C.S. Lewis’ “Mere Christianity” at the end of the summer but never finished, and I had put Ron Chernow’s George Washington tribute on my list as well.
I also learned that you receive discounts throughout Huntington County, including at the Party Shop and Anytime Fitness, by just showing your library card.
Head downtown, Margret Pasko-signed letter in hand, and get your read on.
The Huntingtonian 