The library isn’t what it used to be. There was a time when the library was quiet. Maybe you remember what I'm talking about: Stooped-backed old ladies with thick glasses and gray hair in tight buns skulked around shushing everybody, like that ghost at the beginning of Ghostbusters. Their stern gazes followed you around the room, thin-lipped grimaces daring you to touch their precious books, let alone put one back on the wrong shelf.
Seriously, what fun is that?
At the Andover Public Library, we have a lot going on. Sure, we still have books, including new releases, best-sellers, and favorite classics, but we offer so much more than that. Between our interactive storytimes, friends catching up on the latest news, tutors working with students, and local businessmen using our wi-fi to connect with the world, it can get a bit noisy sometimes. We're okay with that. At APL, we believe a library is an integral part of any close-knit community and anytime you bring people together in the spirit of fun, "quiet" goes right out the window. Drop in and visit us during any of our special events to see for yourself: in the past six months alone we've had jugglers, live animal demonstrations, used book sales, guest speakers, art programs, concerts, book clubs, Lego clubs, family movie nights, tea parties, gaming tournaments, and the occasional puppet show. You're bound to find something at the library you'll enjoy, and I promise you we don’t have much time to wander the stacks shushing people.
Some of our hottest new books aren’t particularly quiet either: just gripping action and nail-biting suspense. The latest James Patterson novel, I, Michael Bennet pits the New York detective and father of ten against ruthless South American drug lords. Bennett will do anything to protect his family, a quality that many readers relate to and which sets this series apart from others Hard-Boiled Detective novels. If you’d rather start with the first Michael Bennett novel, check out Step on a Crack by James Patterson.
Daniel Silva’s new Fallen Angel has art restorer and former spy Gabriel Allon solving a murder in Saint Peter’s Basilica. The investigation leads Gabriel to St. Moritz, the Vatican, the back alleys of Istanbul, and a dramatic climax in Jerusalem; it’s like watching the Travel Channel, only with art smuggling and spy action.
Other popular titles include Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn, The Litigators by John Grisham, and (in nonfiction) Let’s Pretend This Never Happened by Jenny Lawson. If you’d like to check out any of these titles, come by the library, give us a call, or access our catalog online to put the item on hold. We’ll contact you as soon as it’s available.
Until next month, go out there and make some noise.
(Originally published in the Andover American, 8/2/12)
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