Saturday, July 21, 2012

The Indianapolis-Marion County Public Library and me

A month or two ago I got an email notifying me of a Spoonflower sale.  I sell designs at Spoonflower regularly so an email isn't unusual.  A fat quarter sale, a few yards, even 20 yard sales can happen and have (and I jump for joy each time) but a 69 yard sale?

S i x t y n i n e yards. My eyes popped open at that one.  My first thought was "errrrr, I wonder if the buyer made a mistake and wanted 6 nine yard pieces?"  I had to verify the sale!

Verified, yes the sale was correct.

Now what in the world would someone do with 69 yards of fabric?

If you're the Indianapolis-Marion County Public Library (with a central library and 22 branches) and you have a summer reading program called Gear Up you buy a boatload of fabric with gears as a way to decorate your branches!  Exhibits and displays are put together and my Gear Up fabric can be used in any way the participating branch wants to use it.  At the end of the program they announce the winning display.



I'm a HUGE reader. I usually have a couple of books going at the same time. I have a book near my bed, one in my car and one at work.  Depending on how good the book is I might end up carrying the most compelling story with me from home to work and will read in the parking lot while I wait for my daughter to get off of work.

When I was a kid I'd ride my bike 2 miles to check out 10 books a week.  That was the limit and I always got 10 books.  I filled the basket to the brim each trip.  I read everywhere...including while riding my bike. Ok, so I can't really recommend steering while reading but I wanted to start that book now.  I'd read at the kitchen table before dinner...until my mom would get dinner on the table and tell me to put the book away.  I'd lay the book face up on my lap and try to sneak more reading in by pretending to be downcast that I couldn't prop my book up on the other side of my plate.  She caught me every time tho.

I read in bed under the covers with a flashlight so my sister wouldn't be bothered by the light.  I read in the bathroom, in the bath, in the car...everywhere.

The only time in my life that I didn't read for fun was when I had 2 small children and they seemed to need me during all of their waking moments. Eventually I put my foot down and taught them if I was reading they'd have to ask their dad for whatever they needed.

I think reading is part of my DNA.  One of my biggest nightmares is not being able to read.  There is a Twilight Zone episode where a man who loves to read finds himself in the midst of a world calamity. Everyone is gone in an H-bomb blast and he retreats to the local library where there are books galore.  He accidently breaks his glasses and is left with thousands of books that he can no longer read.  He yells out: "It's not fair, all the time in the world and I can't read!"  (or something to that effect).  Oh that scared me to death!

I digress.

To me, having a one of my designs in a library is the perfect use. Mixing design with reading 2 of my favorite things in one place.  Libraries are one place where at your fingertips you can go anywhere, do anything, be who you want to be.  All for free.

The staff at the Indianapolis-Marion County Public Library have been great. They've shared a few pictures with me (and they'll send more as their contest winds down).




Support your favorite library, there is always something new happening there.  And if you haven't been to a local library recently: GO! Oh, and I'd love if you left a comment telling me of your favorite books or what you're currently reading. 

Photo credits to the Indianapolis–Marion County Public Library, used with permission.
Graphic by me. :-)




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