Being the kind of person who assesses the effects of a situation after the fact and not during it, I am just now looking at the library strike which shut down all branches over the past few months.
They are not actually going to open the doors to the public until tomorrow but I have heard that the book return slots are now re-0pened.
The day before the library ‘closed’ I was part of many who walked staggered away under a load of many books, not knowing how long the close-out would last. Subsequent articles and interviews with patrons have revealed just how multi-purposed the library is from books and videos etc. for shut-ins to talking books for the visually impaired to programs for all ages to a place to sit and read the paper or use the computer to audio material to listen to in the car to research for students and authors to photo-copying to just ‘regular’ borrowing. I’m sure there are more I have forgotten or don’t know about.
I visit the library every day on the groceries-errands-bank-post office route. Every room in my home is a ‘reading room’ with books in 
it, most borrowed from the public library.
Many moves across the years have resulted in simplifying my library to this bookshelf and part of the stacks in the other rooms.
Every so often I sit down and spend time getting re-acquainted with these ‘keepers’ in the old favourites or cooking or self awareness or travel or home/ garden or fibre arts section (the last two being the largest). These books are ‘family’ – there when I need them, patiently waiting when I don’t pay them attention, ‘tried and true’ either of long duration or newer acquisition having been ‘tested’ through the library.
I like how I can have ten or forty or eighty-eight books (I wonder if there is a limit?!) on loan from the library, how I can request a book not in the local system and most of the time have the library track it down ( it is exciting to look at the stamp when it arrives and see where it has come from; I want to write a note and tuck it into the book and say, "well, thanks from Victoria!"). I like how I can take all these books back when I have finished with them.
I look forward to the library opening again tomorrow. I look forward to taking grandkiddie to see the colourful carousel horse which he can sit upon and let him wander around and experience the huge number of books – even more than he has at home! He turned from baby to toddler while the library was closed (amazing how starting to walk does that to a person) so now he is ready and I am more than willing for the introduction.
Libraries have been a major part of my life from early childhood. I realize now how much I have missed it! I am so glad it will be open again. I may just see if I can find the recipe for snickerdoodle cookies in the Schmecks cookbooks on my shelves and take some in to those people friends who are going to be making the library happen again.