My library card is pink.
And I even got a choice as to what color card I wanted: pink, green, or blue. Blue and green looked too plain, so I went library-card-wild and chose the pink.
My fabulous library card! Notice it says “geek” on it. Love it!
I’ve been living in Denver for a little over two weeks, well overdue to pick up my library card. The main branch is within walking distance from my apartment, which is even better. And the library is huge! Seven whole floors!
Huge plaque outside the library
Colorado and book love
Look how large the library is! That’s only just a tiny piece, too!
This is just a small section of the entire area devoted to new books!
This library was overwhelming in a good way! I especially was excited about the entire section of the library devoted to NEW BOOKS! I got a little anxious (sweaty palms, shortness of breath) because there were so many to choose from!
My book finds!
I had to be REALLY good because I forgot a cloth bag and had no way of getting the books back to my place except for walking them back in my arms. So I settled on five (which was super hard!):
Lord of the Flies by William Golding – introduction by Stephen King which is cool since today is King’s b-day and I JUST reviewed one of his books!
A Child Out of Alcatraz by Tara Ison – literally just saw this on the shelf and if you know me personally, you know I’m obsessed with jail shows (MSNBC’s Lockup marathon is something I look forward to on weekend nights and when we passed by Limon Correctional Facility on our drive to Denver I took a picture!) so this book just spoke to me!
This is How: Help for the Self by Augusten Burroughs – I’ve read “Running With Scissors” and loved it so I thought I should try out his new book.
Dare Me by Megan Abbott – every book blogger is reviewing it positively so I feel out of the loop unless I do the same – here’s one of my favorites: Between the Covers Review
NW by Zadie Smith – I have another Zadie Smith book on my list (White Teeth, thanks to 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die) but I couldn’t find that, and this one is new, so I thought, why not?
Do you have a library story you want to share?
No?
Because you’re not as much of a nerd as I am?
Ok, then, what are you reading this weekend?
Thanks for reading,
Rebecca
rscaglione.wordpress.com 
Your new library is AMAZING. We live in a relatively small town, so our library is also relatively small. I still find almost everything I’m looking for, though.
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This is the largest library I have ever been to, and I was just pretty amazed. In my hometown, the library is a more “normal” size, and while I can usually find what I am looking for, many times I will reserve books online, from many libraries in the county, and then pick them up from the closest one to my house.
The most impressive thing about this library was the fact that some NEW books actually were in stock! Usually it’s tough to find newer books, and some were impossible (like I would be number 400 something for the Gone Girl waiting list), but others were easy to pick up which is nice!
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Wow, the pictures look great. We need to walk over together soon. I’ll probably stick with a blue or green library card. 🙂
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Yes! Maybe one evening after work or definitely this weekend!
But are you SURE you don’t want the pink card?
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That is a GREAT library! I’m in a small town and we had a great old Carnegie library until our new one opened in 2007. I was in line that morning for the grand opening, that’s one of my nerdy library stories 😉
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That’s a great nerdy library story! I would love to go to the opening of a library. They probably give out free books at an event like that! 😉
This library is just so much larger and more expansive than the libraries I’m used to in smaller towns. And with it being within walking distance, it will be a great place to visit often while I am in Denver.
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I’ve actually been to the Denver Library, and what I was most impressed with was the incorporation of technology and light. It was such a bright library (especially compared to the Boston area ones that are so old)! Plus they had an awesome book sale going on at the time which made it even better 😀
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Oh I LOVE book sales! Especially from libraries or really good used book stores because you can find some amazing treasures for very little money!
You’re right about the brightness! I didn’t think about it because the smaller libraries I have been to are usually well-lit.
And the technology was amazing. They have self-service pick-ups for holds, and self-service checkout. All you had to do was scan your card and place all of your books on a black scan box thing. Each book has a sensor inside it and the black scan box thing has radio (or something) waves that can read all of the sensors in the books when they are in a pile! I was super impressed with that, having never seen it before.
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Those are awesome systems! We got them when I was in undergrad and I know the Boston Public Libraries (or at least the central branch) has them. They’re incredibly convenient!
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Agreed! I had never seen anything like that but it makes everyone’s job easier (especially librarians) not to mention it’s very futuristic!
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What an awesome library! I live in a small town and our library isn’t big, but I’m able to get just about any book I want through the county-wide interlibrary loan system.
It’s amazing that you live within walking distance from your library! That must be so convenient. Love your new library card — so cute!
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I think the interlibrary loan system is probably the best thing ever – it’s how I always get books. But it was just too exciting to walk into the library and find new releases that were available. Living within walking distance is great, as long as I don’t overload myself on books since I have to walk them all home. Unless I buy a backpack. . . 🙂
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Hello from Denver Public Library. I came across your blog and wanted to say thanks for such the kind words and we are glad you like your new card. We just started offering the different colors recently.
Also, I just wanted to let you know that we have another HUGE Used Book Sale coming up in December — 12/6 – 12/8 at the Central Library. Until then, we’ll see you around!
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Jen,
Thank you so much for your comments! I am very excited for the upcoming Used Book Sale! I’ll probably bring home waaaaaaay too many items, but that’s why those are so much fun!
Thank you for reading and commenting!
Rebecca
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Oh, wow — so jealous of both your proximity to the Denver library and your pink library card (my favorite color!). There’s a local library branch about a five minute drive from my office, but I have fantasies of living close enough to a library to walk there. Actually, my boyfriend’s place is about a 15-minute walk from one . . . hmm. Just might try it someday! 🙂
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You should try it! A 15 minute walk is easy on a gorgeous day! We’re only living in Denver for a few months, so I’m not sure how long I will be able to have this luxury.
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I love your new library card. A great project would be to see what other cool library cards are out there. Maybe libraries would send you sample cards
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Interesting thought! I’ll have to do some googling!
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Ohhhhh I thought the public library of my small city was great but…. but… I don’t know what to say. What a library! I’m astonished! It looks wonderful.
About the books you took from, I have to read The lord of the flies for my English exam next summer. Also The lighthouse, by PD James 🙂
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I tried out a mini-book club with Lord of the Flies. It was my second time reading the book, and I think I took more from it the second time around. I haven’t read “The Lighthouse.”
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