For The Love Of Books
During times of isolation, one needs a good book, and village librarian, Marilyn, wholeheartedly agrees.
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19 January 2020
Stories
| Retirement Living
During times of isolation, one needs a good book, and village librarian, Marilyn, wholeheartedly agrees. It’s why when the library closed due to COVID she began the contactless delivery of books to her readers’ doors.
Books are everything to Marilyn. “As a child I’d find companions in books. I could find everything I needed to know in them. I worked in the council libraries on school holidays, and would accumulate a large pile of books. I thought to myself, I want to sit and read them, not file them, so I decided to become a teacher.”
“When I moved in ten years ago, this lovely lady next door taught me everything she knew about the library, I was her assistant. But her health deteriorated and she passed away. I remember her saying I had been sent to her as a gift. Nobody wanted the role, but I said, ‘Wow books! I think so!’
Marilyn is very passionate about her library. She takes the time to consider the books she gets for the year, and keeps a record of every genre everybody likes and reads, so when they’ve finished reading they can ring up and she can suggest another book.
“I try to have something for everyone, which is a tall order for a small space. Because books are my thing if someone says ‘I really liked this book’ or ‘I loved this author’, I’m able to remember.”
What residents have been searching for during this time of pandemic is beyond a ‘good story’. “Peoples’ tastes vary but they all want to be engrossed. A writer can transport you. It’s not just the story, it’s the way it’s written. Most people want the happy ending though. We don’t want a gruesome, gaping hole at the end. What helps is you don’t need a mask in the company of a good book in your lounge room.”
The library hosts a large variety from historical fiction, romance, crime and mystery, through to non-fiction. But you’ll find Marilyn enjoying poetry in a comfortable space. “My personal favourite is poetry. We do have a beautiful illustrated version of Henry Lawson’s work.”