Have you ever had a moment in a library that changed your life? Maybe it was the book that sparked your imagination, the librarian who helped you find the right resource, or the space that gave you room to dream. At Spokane Public Library, we believe in the power of these transformative moments. That’s why we’re inviting you to join us for My Library, My Story—a community-wide celebration of the impact libraries have on our lives.
Right now, libraries across the country are facing challenges in providing access to books and essential services. But we know that libraries are so much more than just buildings filled with books—they are vibrant hubs of connection, learning, and belonging. This is your opportunity to remind the world why libraries matter.
Your experience could inspire someone else to discover the power of libraries. We invite you to share your personal library experience on social media. Tag us @spokanepubliclibrary to collaborate with us and amplify your voice!
Don’t have social media? Share your story in the comments below!
Hear how the library welcomed Leah on day one in Spokane and became a part of her journey.
67 responses to “Share Your Library Story”
The availability of free conference rooms allowed me to meet with a mentor on a weekly basis, providing me with the opportunity to improve in areas where I needed the most growth. I’m grateful to the Spokane libraries for offering this valuable resource, along with many others, at no cost!
Our high school grandson is visiting us and needed to go online to complete his homework. Our internet system was done and a technician wouldn’t be here for two days. We called the library and found that they had study pods where he could study and send in his homework via the internet. Crisis averted! Thank you.
These past ten years of living across the street from this library has been a very special time in my whole life. When I was a child we lived in the country and going to the library meant getting one of my parents to drive me into town. That never happened. Then at school the whole class got to go – for a half hour, and I typically could not find one book to check out because I couldn’t choose between all the adventures I wanted to read about. When the scholastic paperback books came about, I wanted those, too! But, my parents couldn’t afford books for the three of us. Then, I grew up and had children of my own. But, it was the same story. I worked all day and by the time I got home and made supper and everyone ate, it was time for homework and bed. Unfortunately, there were no evening hours at the local libraries. Finally, when DVDs became available for checkout at one of the libraries and the hours expanded, we began to go to the library a lot. First we only took out movies. But, the more we explored everything the library had to offer, my children began checking out books and going to special classes like building things, and learning computer programs, etc.
The kids are all grown up now and I find myself planning specific days of the week for me to spend at the library. I love the wealth of information available at my fingertips. I write down questions every day that I want to look up the answers to, and when I get to the library, I am able to find out the answers! I am so grateful to have this opportunity to have a library so close to me that I can just get away from the world in on my way to adventure in the library!
At age 59, a friend and I used the recording studio to record our piano playing. I recorded my original songs and sang with two of them. Andy the engineer worked with us. What a fabulous resource to offer library card holders! What a fabulous experience for me. Thank you. Libraries provide so many resources for the public to access. Bravo and continue on! Thank you!
Please purchase more non-fiction and science books, especially biology, ecology and evoution books. The future of humanity depends much more on a the publcis understanding of science subjects, not fiction stories, cooking and recipe books, glamour, sceince-fiction, “self-help”, etc.
It is your reasponsibiily to provide the general public acess to the new and best books on science so as to help save ourselves from the trivial pusuit of simple pleasures and fanticies for our individual happiness.
The library books SPL choises to purchase make a large impact on what many people think—-provided they know how to read and read books. We can assume the former, however what people acually read is affected significnatly by the topic of the book SPL purchases since most of us can not afford to buy many books ourselves.
I was reading from a newspaper at age 2 and finished reading my book with over 200 pages at age 4. Then my first visit to a library filled me with awe and delight. I wanted to read everything. By time I was 8, my mother checked out science and history books for me from the adult section. My parents throught I would become a scientist. Instead, I ended up as a writer, first published in 1990. Libraries also inspired me to study languages. I love the ancient classics and may sit down to translate passages on my own to grasp those really cool insights one often doesn’t find in most translations. Libraries have also been for me perennial refuges of respite from violence, places where I didn’t have to feel afraid but be able to cultivate wonderment instead.
One of my fondest memories of childhood was visiting the Manito Library in the 60’s. The building had a “library smell”. In the summer, there were book reading contests. My favorites were all of the Laura Ingalls Wilder books and The Secret Garden. I walked to the library several days a week to check out a new book. There was also a room next to the library where we had our yearly piano recitals.
I’m 72. My mamma took me to the library once a week for many years as a child. I took my kids at least once a week, too, for story times, books, movies, etc.. Now I take my grand boys when they’re visiting and we go at least twice a week at their behest because that’s how much they like to read but also to get items from the “Library of Things.” One summer 3-4 years ago when it was in the 100s for weeks, the library opened up on their closed days. I and the grand boys went in and read for an hour or two to cool off. BTW, all of these people are fine readers and empathetic humans as well.
Covid resembled a blurring of the real and imaginary. No matter the time of day, it always felt like those quiet hours between the bar closing and the early morning baker’s shift. The lack of human connection was palpable and there was absolutely no browsing of library stacks. School moved online and I had library withdrawals that left me feeling hopeless and invisible. To dispel this, my partner and I often walked around the surrounding neighborhoods. It was on one of these expeditions that we came across something I’d never experienced before. Behind a line of people, standing six feet apart, was a food truck size vending machine with a moving mechanical train of books and movies inside of it. My first ever kiosk!
My love for library culture amplified that day and has continued to grow every day. During a time of isolation, the library provided this diverse way of staying connected to information and resources from around the world. It is amazing how an unassuming kiosk can promote and protect the human right to access books and ideas for free. I’m grateful to Spokane Public Library’s West Central Library Kiosk for being a cornerstone that my community and I could depend on in a crisis, and for solidifying my drive to become a librarian.
I grew up in Spokane in the ’50s and ’60s loving books and libraries, but was disappointed because there were no African American librarians working in Spokane libraries and hardly any materials written by and about African Americans. As a result, I began collecting my own resources, which number in the thousands today.
I was pleased to serve 10 years on the board of trustees of Spokane Public Library and then earned an MLIS degree from the University of Washington that enabled me to moonlight as a part-time librarian. It’s ironic and tragic that today there’s a rising movement to eliminate the history and contributions of my people and others from libraries and schools. My private library collection is more important than ever.