The Private Life of Books

The New York Public Library Opened May 23, 1911 by Jim Griffin (public domain - Flickr)

“When we are collecting books, we are collecting happiness.” — Vincent Starrett, 1929

One of the joys of my childhood was visiting our town library.

Week after week, I remember finding my way to favorite sections and shelves, taking favorite books down, and browsing through them.

They greeted me like friends, welcoming me into their pages and embracing me with the warm hug of familiarity. There was a sense of belonging in those books. A sense of comfort.

But on occasion, I’d discover a new friend—a book that the librarian recommended, or one that suggested itself, through the power of the card catalog and the magic of the Dewey Decimal System.

After gently extracting the book from among its brethren, I’d look at the cover a bit, soaking in the art from the dust jacket.

But rather than shaking hands with the title page or table of contents, I’d open the back cover and pluck out the checkout card.

Those c…