Libraries are a precious resource. Mankind has long understood the power of the written word. Public libraries are a treasure. The avenue for borrowing books is a library card.
I have been thankful for libraries, but I am not sure I have ever chosen gratitude for the library card that makes it all accessible to the common person.
I loved this colorful reminder of the cards we used to check out our books. You could look and see who had read the book before you. Even then, you had to produce your library card .
Once upon a time, books were mostly in the hands of the wealthy and the elite. When more people were able to own a Bible with the invention of the printing press, reading from it was a shared family activity in many homes. For some, it was the only book in the house. Some churches had libraries from which books could be borrowed, but it was a private circle.
Ben Franklin was instrumental in starting one of the first pubic libraries where patrons could sign out books. Such a simple thing, but it is really a big thing.
Today, we use a library card to check out books from our public libraries - even if we use the library's digital resources. This scripture comes to mind:
"Jesus also did many other things. If they were all written down, I suppose the whole world could not contain the books that would be written."-John 21:25
Some books were never written, but for the ones that are... we have library cards.
Today, I am grateful for library cards.
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