Kristin Hill Taylor

Seeking God as the Author of Every Story

  • Home
  • About
  • Books
    • Peace in the Process
    • Bringing Home More Than Groceries
  • Contact

The Tale of the Missing Library Book

April 27, 2015 by Kristin Leave a Comment

Long before Goodreads existed, I remember keeping track of every book I read each summer and earning rewards each time I turned in the list at the local public library. I loved books then as a kid and I love them now as an adult. There are books everywhere in my house – yes, I prefer they live on bookshelves, but, well, kids …

Speaking of kids, mine love books.

My daughter reads so fast that when she first started devouring chapter books, I would ask her many questions about the plot. I wanted to make sure she was really reading. But she always answers my questions with great detail.

I didn’t know if Ben would love books because it took him longer to sit still to listen to a whole book while we read and held him in our laps. But he likes books too. He doesn’t read yet, but he remembers pictures and stories from the books we read to him.

One of my favorite scenes of motherhood happens when I’m cooking: The kids sit on the couch together and Ben lets Cate read to him. Perhaps I should say, Cate chooses to read to him. It depends on the day, you know, but when this happens my heart melts.

So, obviously, we like books around here. That means sometimes we go to the library.

But, really, the public library isn’t my favorite place. That’s a mom confession right there for you.

I’m sorry if this disappoints you, coming from a writer and a reader. But it’s true. And I’m not sure when I started not liking the library, although the public library of my current life is not the one I grew up going to.

I’m a first-born, rule-follower to a fault. But our library has too many rules – about story time and summer reading and missing library books. And the rule-enforcers – oh, well, most anyone who works at our library – don’t really seem to enjoy their jobs.

So that boy of mine lost a library book. For a while, we searched for it. {In hindsight, I should have renewed it over the phone during that time in case we did in fact find it.} But we didn’t find it. Ben even started saying he thinks he left it somewhere, maybe the doctor’s office. He did tote it around, which as a reader makes me happy but as a boy mom makes me nervous.

A few weeks later when I realized “Emmet’s Awesome Day” was officially lost and nobody at the doctor’s office or wherever else Ben possibly left the book returned it for us, I went to the library and confessed I owed them some money for the missing book.

I knew I was going to overpaying for a book that could be replaced. I knew we were responsible for not returning what we borrowed. But I took my kids, money and confession to the library desk.

Turns out, the library worker wouldn’t take my money or tell me what I owed. Apparently only two people who worked there could handle said transaction. And they weren’t there.

So we left. I’m sure my girl had an arm-full of Boxcar Children Mysteries. I know Ben didn’t have any books because, well, his account was in poor standing for the moment, you know, because they wouldn’t take my money.

Really, what kind of government entity won’t take a citizen’s money?

I decided to order a copy of “Emmet’s Awesome Day” from Amazon. In fact, I was able to order the library binding edition. For $12.19. When this arrived two days later, I went back to the library and told a different worker that I bought it to replace the one my son lost.

She said she couldn’t take it because that wasn’t the process to acquire new books. Y’all, it was exactly the same as the one we lost. Well, actually, it was nicer because it was newer. They just needed to slap some barcodes on the hard cover.

“I can see if the acquisitions librarian can tell you about the process,” the library worker offered.

“No, if you won’t take the book it doesn’t matter. Can you tell me what I owe?” I said.

Without hesitation, she quickly told me I owed $22.96 – even though she wasn’t one of the two people previously mentioned as having high enough clearance to disclose my required fine and take my money. Yet she told me and took my cash anyway.

And then she told me to hold on while she made a copy of the receipt she’d just written by hand on a carbon receipt pad. Y’ALL, SHE MADE A COPY OF A RECEIPT THAT HAD A CARBON COPY.

The public library that already wasn’t my favorite place became an even less desirable place. Oh, now Ben also has a new copy of “Emmet’s Awesome Day” and if we happen to find the missing copy we get to keep that one too.

Great, because, well, we do like books and that’s one less we have to check out of the library.

________________

I’m linking this post with Mary Carver’s Works for Me Wednesday because, ironically, the public library doesn’t really work well for me but books most certainly do and with Anna Rendell’s Mom Confessions. 

Want more insights? “Peace in the Process: How Adoption Built My Faith & My Family” is available on Amazon. Like me on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, peek into my life on Instagram, follow 152 Insights at Bloglovin’, or subscribe to receive “Insights in Your Inbox.”

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • More
  • Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)

Filed Under: books, life, motherhood, Works For Me Wednesday

Comments

  1. AmandaEspi says

    April 29, 2015 at 2:40 pm

    Ugh. I have a like/hate relationship with the library. I've started driving out of my way to another branch that has friendlier librarians and where my kids can be a little loud. I HATE having to keep up with library books and videos. We've had to pay for lost books, but it was only a few bucks thankfully. I prefer buying books and then my mind is clear of worry, but then we lose some of the wonder of finding new books.

    Reply
  2. KristinHillTaylor says

    April 29, 2015 at 3:06 pm

    I'm glad I'm not the only one with a love-hate relationship with the library. I just wish our library was friendlier and more welcoming. We keep going because my girl loves it so much. There is a nicer, friendlier library near the kids' school so we do go there sometimes too. Thanks for coming by, Amanda!

    Reply
  3. Anna R. says

    April 30, 2015 at 3:43 am

    My book-loving, writers heart, library confession? I've taken my child ONE TIME. I am just too skittish! Books! Quiet! Aisles to run in! And then, when you get the books home, what if they tear and destroy or lose them? I know. It's ridiculous. I need to take them to the library. Maybe I'll get brave soon. We'll see. 😉

    Reply
  4. KristinHillTaylor says

    April 30, 2015 at 1:01 pm

    I went to the library some for a weekly story time when Cate was a toddler. And then Ben was born and I didn't go the library for a long time. Taking two in there seemed totally overwhelming, especially when the younger of the two was restless and loud. Now, they both like to go for different reasons (she like to load her arms with books and he likes to play the computer games …) but all the many rules overwhelm me. And you're totally not ridiculous.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Let’s Connect

  • Bloglovin
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • RSS
  • Twitter

About Me

Telling stories is my therapy and I love sharing them with friends on my porch.

The main characters in my stories are my entrepreneur husband, our eighth-grade girl who never forgets, our have-no-fear fifth-grade boy, and our joy-filled preschool girl. As we live out our stories, we seek God as the author of them all.

Learn more about my story here.

Subscribe for Updates

Recent Posts

  • Love Your Home Once Again
  • Creating Family Unity
  • Books of 2020
  • How to make time for books
  • The Advent of Hope

#PorchStories button

Join the Conversation

Join the Conversation

On Instagram

“The Chicken Sisters” by @kjda was a fun, quic “The Chicken Sisters” by @kjda was a fun, quick read this weekend. I added it to my to-read list recently and then saw it as a @bookofthemonth add-on.

I enjoyed the feuding sisters story unfolding while filming a realty show about their family’s feuding chicken restaurants in a small Kansas town. Of course, not everything is quite as it seems, so the reality show helps uncover some reality both sisters were missing.

#amreading #bookstagram #booklover #recommendedreads #thechickensisters #weekending
We needed to get out of the house today — even t We needed to get out of the house today — even though the sun barely peeked through the clouds into the cold air. #countryliving #weekending #choosingJOY #boymom #thirdchild
A week into Peggy’s recovery at our house, and t A week into Peggy’s recovery at our house, and these two have spent a lot of time together. Rachel encourages her and stays close. Peggy plays games and watches movies with Rachel.

Honestly, this #thirdchild of mine was probably my biggest concern with having Peggy recover from open heart surgery here: I didn’t want Rachel to hug too hard. I didn’t know if she’d understand that her Gran-Gran looks fine on the inside but hurts on the inside. She’s been booted from her room, but she’s been sleeping well on her mattress in the back living room. She’s actually probably not going to know what to do when Peggy moves back home.

For now, we’ll let them make memories together. That’s part of caretaking I hadn’t considered. #bettertogether #weekending #choosingJOY
I’ve been in a reading slump. I returned one lib I’ve been in a reading slump. I returned one library book I couldn’t get into and then couldn’t decide what to read next. So I went with this library book — and I’m glad I did.

“The Unhoneymooners” by @christinalauren is a funny romance novel that helped distract my mind from heavy thoughts. It also made me want to go to Maui. The dialogue is delightful, the story of quirky from the get-go, and I definitely found myself rooting for Ethan and Olive.

I also discovered by reading the acknowledgements (possibly my favorite thing about books!) that @christinalauren is the pen name for a writing duo. What fun to write novels with a friend! 

As always, I’m happy to accept your recommendations on what to read next. I may also be pondering what friend with whom to write my next book. 📚 #amreading #fiction #authorlife #bookstagram #bettertogether #romcombooks
My friend Delana called before she brought us dinn My friend Delana called before she brought us dinner yesterday and asked if we liked chocolate pie. Um, yes. Turns out both Peggy and I love chocolate pie. Delana gave us chocolate chips cookies too, you know, just in case we didn’t like pie.

My friends are loving on us so well this week with dinner & dessert, obviously. Yes, the food is good, but the way they saw a need and met it is even more gracious. (I wrote a book about gathering & nourishing your people!) Having someone provide dinner has freed up some mental space I’m able to use for taking care of Peggy and parenting my kids, some of whom have needed a little extra love and guidance this week. 

Peggy is nine days removed from open heart surgery with quadruple bypass and is doing well. She had a good check up with her primary care provider this morning. We’re thankful for our community of people who continue to pray for us, feed us, and provide help, like today’s impromptu preschool pickup when an appointment ran long. (Thanks, @katie_cunningham85 & @tstanger25!)

#bettertogether #momlife #reallife #morethangroceries #choosingJOY
We are all happy to feel some sunshine today! ☀️#thirdchild #catsofinstagram #winter #choosingJOY
Sweet @ashleelyoung brought us delicious dinner to Sweet @ashleelyoung brought us delicious dinner tonight and the dessert became a craft. I’m so thankful for the way our people love us. 💛 #bettertogether #reallife #choosingJOY
Today is National Milk Day, so Saputo, which has a Today is National Milk Day, so Saputo, which has a dairy plant here in Murray, donated chocolate milk for all the kids at @ncca.lions. This girl has never turned down chocolate milk and basically celebrates milk every day. #momlife #reallife #thirdchild #nationalmilkday #preschool
Honestly, I’ve been in a reading funk. I’ve qu Honestly, I’ve been in a reading funk. I’ve quit one book and started another today, so we’ll see how that goes. 

I did finish this one by @booksbyheather last week and enjoyed it. I loved the Southern setting, charm, and magic. And I loved how the characters untangled assumptions and expectations from their pasts to find where they belong.

What are you reading these days? #amreading #bookstagram #fiction #recommendedreads
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Favorite Places & Projects

Categories

Archives

Copyright © 2021 Kristin Hill Taylor | Design by Traci Michele | Development by MRM

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.