It’s that time of year again! Well, yes, Final Four time. And SCBWI-Iowa conference time. But I’m specifically talking about the Blogger’s Library Lovin’ Challenge.
The brain-child of author Jennifer Hubbard, the challenge is a week-long celebration of libraries and giving by bloggers all over the Internet. Last year’s challenge raised over $5,000 for local libraries, plus pledges of books and other items, and this year should be even bigger.
Because libraries are important. I worked as a page during high school. I volunteered at a public library after college. I remember weekly trips during childhood, I remember waiting for the phone call telling me the book on hold had arrived, and I remember wanting to read every book in the children’s section (still working on it).
So here’s the deal: for every library lovin’ commenter on this post between now and midnight (Central Standard Time) on Friday, April 1 (no foolin’), I will donate $1.00 to the Robert W. Barlow Memorial Library in Iowa Falls, IA, up to an amount of $100.00 total. It’s simple: you comment, I cough up the money. Talk about your favorite library, what makes it awesome, a favorite book find, a childhood memory, or even just “I love libraries.”
My pledge is “per commenter”—so if a single person leaves 50 comments, that still only counts once (although my WordPress stats will look fantastic). But you can do more by spreading the word … please link to this post, tweet about it, mention it on Facebook, etc. To raise money for more libraries, visit the blogs of others participating in this challenge:
http://writerjenn.livejournal.com/234087.html
Thanks in advance for spreading the awesome on behalf of libraries everywhere! I’ll see you in the comments.
March 28, 2011 at 9:41 pm
Thank you for participating, and for loving libraries!
March 28, 2011 at 10:29 pm
And thanks for organizing, Jenn!
March 28, 2011 at 9:50 pm
Yay, libraries!
The library at Catholic University in DC is actually called Mullen Library!
March 28, 2011 at 10:30 pm
Wow, that’s awesome 🙂 Thanks Jess!
March 28, 2011 at 10:55 pm
What a great idea! Libraries are the backbone of our communities! They offer a place for families to gather, storytimes, a place to study, programming, activities, movies, music, and a never ending supply of stories! Way to go Libraries!
March 28, 2011 at 11:07 pm
Woo Hoo!!!! I LOVE Libraries and Jenn’s challenge too!
http://kimberlysabatini.blogspot.com/2011/03/library-loving-blog-challenge.html
Cha-ching!
March 28, 2011 at 11:11 pm
Jenn,
Great idea for a great cause. Hooray for libraries!!
Michelle
March 28, 2011 at 11:51 pm
I also worked as a page & in the very library you embrace in the picture, Sarah. (And display artist and general flunky).
I have hearted libraries since I was a toddler in the original Carnegie bldg here.
What a productive idea, Sarah and Jennifer.
Thank you.
March 28, 2011 at 11:52 pm
They’re building a library just a few blocks from my house. I cannot wait until it opens.
Cannot. Wait.
March 28, 2011 at 11:56 pm
That’s an awesome hug you’ve got there!
March 29, 2011 at 12:33 am
You were a page? So cool! I need to hear more about that!
March 29, 2011 at 12:48 am
Thanks for stopping by Debbie, Kimberly, Michelle, Angela, the lovely Miss Phyllis, and fellow cheesehead Pat!
Jessica – my page duties mainly consisted of returning the Clifford and Disney books to their proper displays and answering computer questions (I was the youngest staff member by about 30 years). But my co-workers were the BEST (translation: brought me candy) and I got to re-read so many childhood favorites. I loved it.
March 29, 2011 at 1:04 am
Go Sarah! Thanks for doing this.
March 29, 2011 at 2:39 am
Yes for libraries!! Yay!
March 29, 2011 at 4:04 am
I really do love libraries! Thanks for sharing Sarah! I’ll do this on my own blog this week too.
March 29, 2011 at 12:56 pm
Great idea! See you at the conference. thanks for reminding me it’s April joke time.
March 29, 2011 at 2:51 pm
Yay for libraries!
March 29, 2011 at 7:35 pm
Thanks for commenting Amy, Janet, Katie, and Colleen! Sarvinder, see you on Friday 🙂
March 29, 2011 at 11:09 pm
HELLO SARAH! I LOVE libraries…even if supply me with most of my reading material 🙂
March 30, 2011 at 2:32 am
(hey everyone, this is my sister!) It’s my pleasure.
March 31, 2011 at 6:04 am
I be cool like that 🙂 Notice the time of my post…typical college student. Shall I read my textbook or “Feed” before bed?
March 30, 2011 at 4:12 am
Hi, Sarah– One of my best childhood memories was going to the old Des Moines Public Library downtown near the river. Cramped, old-fashioned ironwork stacks with frosted glass floors. And, I got an -adult- library card when I was still a kid!
ps. Congrats on the calf.
March 30, 2011 at 1:46 pm
Thanks Uncle Dave 🙂
March 30, 2011 at 2:37 pm
As a life-long library lover (and subsequently a librarian!) I would like to say THANK YOU so much for participating in this challenge! I’m sure your library will appreciate your generous donation, especially in these economic times!
March 30, 2011 at 3:57 pm
Thanks Christina!
March 30, 2011 at 3:48 pm
I LOVE libraries!! I’ve worked in 7 different ones over the past 10 years. Growing up in a small town there was never much to do so I was always at my town’s little library.
March 30, 2011 at 3:49 pm
By the way, I’ll be at the SCBWI conference this weekend, I’ll be glad to meet you!
March 30, 2011 at 3:58 pm
Wow, that’s a lot of library time! Looking forward to meeting you at the conference 🙂
March 30, 2011 at 6:07 pm
When my mom and I first moved to Urbandale when I was 5 we walked up to the public library to check it out. On the way back there was this puddle of weird ooey gooey mess (to this day I still don’t know what it was) and I think we both slipped and fell in it and then had to walk home. It was awful. Pretty sure I cried. That is my first memory of a library 🙂
March 30, 2011 at 9:41 pm
Wow, cuz. I think I’ll donate $2 to try and atone for that one!
March 31, 2011 at 12:44 pm
What a lovely library memory Meg! But I remember it well! Love, Mom
March 30, 2011 at 6:11 pm
I love to read so the library is one of my favorite places.
Good luck with your efforts,
Linda
March 30, 2011 at 9:41 pm
Thanks Linda!
March 30, 2011 at 10:16 pm
This is awesome Sarah. As the daughter of a librarian, these incredible institutions have been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. One of the highlights during my childhood was attending sleep overs at the Davenport Library. As a poor musician, libraries provide me with reference resources, scores and pleasure reading that would VASTLY surpass any collection I could afford myself.
GO LIBRARIES!
And go you for participating in this project!
Hope you are well!
March 31, 2011 at 9:44 pm
Oh, yay Claire! Thanks for stopping by; I didn’t know your Mom was a librarian.
March 31, 2011 at 12:47 am
Great cause. Great fun. Thanks for supporting the libraries.
March 31, 2011 at 1:06 am
Chiming in to support libraries. Go Sarah!
March 31, 2011 at 1:22 am
Woo for libraries ^.^
March 31, 2011 at 1:44 am
I am so happy I stumbled upon this on twitter! this is so awesome! I made sure to retweet about it and also posted about it on my own blog – so I hope it’s a big success!
March 31, 2011 at 9:45 pm
Thanks for stopping by C. Lee, Katie, Sniffly Kitty (LOVE), and April!
March 31, 2011 at 3:29 am
I love my experience so far with the New York Public Library … being able to pick up a quick read at ANY branch throughout the city and being able to return it at any OTHER branch throughout the city is very convenient. Having a good book is integral to endless subway commutes!! 🙂
March 31, 2011 at 9:48 pm
That’s a great idea, super convenient! Thanks so much for stopping by and spreading the word (and reaffirming my awesomeness to your Mom).
March 31, 2011 at 12:46 pm
When I was little we had a book mobile that came and parked in our neighborhood (on University by the school). The street it parked on was on a hill, so I remember it always being not exactly level, and I loved going in there. What a wonderful, cramped and lovely place to visit on a Saturday!
March 31, 2011 at 9:49 pm
I love book mobiles 🙂 So many books in such a small space.
March 31, 2011 at 2:24 pm
Hey there –thanks for doing this Sarah! I almost majored in Library Science and to this day spend a lot of time in our Golden Valley library.
Penny
March 31, 2011 at 9:50 pm
I didn’t know that, Penny. We’re librarians in spirit 🙂
March 31, 2011 at 2:28 pm
Yay for supporting libraries! I’ve been on both sides of the circulation desk, from first discovering the section with the dragon stories as a child to working as a library monitor in junior high school and a work-study library student employee in college to a university library evening supervisor years later…and always, always a dedicated library patron, checking out lots of books and being so grateful to have that option. Rock on, library-lovin blog challenge!
March 31, 2011 at 4:11 pm
Thanks, Sarah, fellow library-loving challenge taker. I love the library-hugging photo. Priceless!
March 31, 2011 at 6:30 pm
Hooray for libraries!!
March 31, 2011 at 9:51 pm
Thanks so much Michelle, Margo, and Jama!
March 31, 2011 at 8:33 pm
I love libraries!! My last library experience when I got to read fun things (not those late night studypaloozas) I finished re-reading the 7th Harry Potter book just in time for summer!!
March 31, 2011 at 9:52 pm
Hola Nicholas (and Happy Late Birthday). Get ready for one more midnight showing!
April 1, 2011 at 4:47 am
I love libraries, too! I love being able to give back to an institution that’s given me so much.
April 1, 2011 at 1:16 pm
Hi Sarah—-you really DO rock!! What a great idea. Thank you on behalf of readers everywhere.
April 1, 2011 at 1:20 pm
Sarah, great photo! I love the Ames library and still carry my library card. The library in Rhinelander isn’t as big, but they do a great job of getting me books I request from other libraries.
April 1, 2011 at 4:21 pm
I’m more than happy to spend your money in this way!
April 1, 2011 at 8:40 pm
What a lovely idea! Glad to help spend your money. 🙂
April 2, 2011 at 12:11 am
As a teen, I volunteered at my library. Will never forget that delicious smell. Thanks for supporting your local library!
April 2, 2011 at 2:42 am
Wonderful, wonderful idea – I would be a wreck without my local library. Thank you!
April 2, 2011 at 6:12 pm
I’m arriving late to the party, but this is so great. Libraries are so important and wonderful!
April 2, 2011 at 9:38 pm
I am living in Costa Rica, a land without libraries or books in general. You are so lucky to have a library and most people take them for granted.
April 4, 2011 at 12:49 pm
Thanks to everyone who stopped by and shared the library love! Virutal hugs to all.
April 4, 2011 at 8:38 pm
Is it too late for me to comment?? I LOVE LIBRARIES!!
As a kid, I lived in the middle of nowhere on a pig farm, so trips to the library were rare but treasured. Now I live in a small town, right down the road from the library! I usually take my son once a week to get new books. If not for libraries, how else would I grow his love of reading??
Way to support libraries, my Iowa Friend of Kellye! You rock!
Erin
April 4, 2011 at 11:52 pm
Erin’s comment closed out this year’s Library Lovin’ Challenge! You all helped raise $50 for the public library in Iowa Falls; thank you so much.