I am a homeschooling mom with a full-time remote job. That means I am often out in the world, laptop in hand, doing my work. A few weeks ago my daughter was attending a camp in downtown Washington, D.C., and I needed somewhere where I could jump on a call and answer emails.
Normally, I would have found the closest Starbucks, set up my work area, ordered my favorite drink, a grande cafe misto with oatmilk, two pumps of Cinnamon Dolce, no foam, extra hot. (Try it; it is delicious. And your welcomed).
But something stopped me.
Since being on Substack, my reading life has expanded beyond simply reading books. Through this community, and thanks especially to people like Elle Reads Library Books and book talk with lauren, I’ve been learning more conversations about libraries: how they strengthen neighborhoods, support readers, preserve history, create belonging, and quietly become one of the last truly public spaces where everyone is welcome.
If you enjoy thoughtful conversations about books and the examined life, I’d love to have you subscribe to Always Be Reading.
So decided to try out Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library which was only two blocks away.
I had no idea I was about to spend the day having nearly every assumption I held about libraries challenged. The first surprise happened before I even made it inside.
The lobby felt less like the entrance to a library and more like the entrance to a museum. Art greets visitors before books do. I loved it! There was movement and conversation. It felt alive.
While walking around the museum I realized it had been more than ten years since I had last walked into a library.
Ten years!😮How is that even possible?
I also had the strange feeling of being somewhere both familiar and completely foreign.
Do people still use the card catalog? Wait...there probably isn’t a card catalog anymore.
How do you check out books?
Am I supposed to know where everything is?
I finally walked to the information desk and confessed.
“I should probably tell you...it’s been over ten years since I’ve been in a library.”
Then I admitted something else.
“I’m more of a bookstore girl than a library girl.”
But instead of judging me, the librarian smiled and promised he would tell me everything I needed to know. (Thank you Josh for making me feel so welcomed.)
When I explained that I had several meetings and needed a quiet place to work, he introduced me to the library’s reservable workspaces. I would have been happy with a table in a corner. But withing minutes, he had helped me reserve a private room.
A private room, ya’ll!😁
It had a long conference table, plenty of outlets, glass walls, and enough soundproofing that I could take video meetings without worrying about disturbing anyone or being interrupted myself. I honestly couldn’t believe it. It was so helpful to have a space to settle in and work. Let me say, I was super productive.
Before settling in, I wandered upstairs to the fiction section. Another librarian patiently showed me how to use the library computers to search the collection. I browsed the shelves, picked out several books, learned the self-checkout system, and suddenly felt like I’d missed an entire decade of library innovation.
Then came another surprise.
There was a café. Yes, a café.
I ordered a coffee, gathered my books, and walked into my reserved workspace.
For the rest of the day, I had productive meetings, answered emails, finished projects, and every so often looked over at the stack of library books waiting beside me.
It felt...wonderful.
As I drove home that evening, I kept thinking about how close I had come to spending another day in Starbucks simply because it was familiar. Instead, I chose curiosity. And curiosity rewarded me.
What the Library Taught Me
Testing your assumptions is an important thing to do. For years, I had quietly categorized libraries as places I no longer needed. Bookstores felt more like “my place.” I loved wandering shelves, buying books, supporting authors, discovering beautiful covers.
None of that has changed. I’m still a bookstore girlie. But now I’m also becoming a library girlie. They’re not competitors. They’re partners in the same literary ecosystem.
Bookstores help stories find homes.
Libraries help stories find readers.
Both deserve our support.
And perhaps my biggest lesson wasn’t about libraries at all. It was a reminder that the stories we tell ourselves about places, people, or even ourselves can quietly become outdated.
Sometimes all it takes is walking through a familiar-looking door with beginner’s eyes.
I am wondering what else I’ve been missing simply because I assumed I already knew?
Let me know in the comments—are you a bookstore person, a library person...or, like me, becoming both?
Also, tell me about a library you love or a place that completely changed your expectations.
Chantel, I loved this! There is something wonderful about discovering that a place you thought you already understood has completely changed while you weren't looking. I especially loved your line, “Bookstores help stories find homes. Libraries help stories find readers.” What a beautiful way to appreciate the value of both. Your experience also made me think about how easily we can become comfortable with what is familiar and never realize what we're missing. I love the idea of approaching not only places, but life itself, with “beginner's eyes.” Sometimes curiosity simply requires being willing to walk through a different door. And I have to admit, a private workspace, a stack of books, and a café sounds like a pretty wonderful workday!
Next time you're near the MLK library, you should visit the rooftop for the views! I've been to several events at the MLK library but haven't patronized it. This post is inspiring me to work from there soon.
My neighborhood library is a different branch, and I reserved a study room for the first time a few weeks ago. I got so much done!