Here's an old poem that I wrote several years ago.
Library computer systems can’t
Satisfy sentimental longings for
Old card catalogues.
Heavy, wooden cabinets
Laden with small drawers,
Filled with paper and ink symbols
Of each book
Printed receipts are no substitute for
Due-date cards slid into
Envelopes inside front covers of books.
Plastic cards like so many other plastic cards
In my purse make me long for
My old heavy paper library card
Worn soft with use,
Embedded with a small metal plate to
Stamp the card of each book checked out.
Slipped into the stamping machine with a satisfying
Ka-thunk.
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2 comments:
Until a few months ago, I lived in a little town whose library still had all that--the card you signed by hand and could glance up and down to see who else in town had checked out the same book. I love that! The residents of this little town are quite passionate about keeping it that way too.
That brought back such great memories. We had to go to the next town for the library, housed in an old Victorian. There were old stairs leading up to a second floor but we were never allowed to go up there- I always wanted to though.
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