Speaking of Provo

As Julie and I were getting ready to head out for some Saturday errands, we realized we would be passing the Provo Library while we were out and about. Harold B. Lee has been treating us well, but we'd both been thinking of trying out the local biblioteca. Housed in the old (and now renovated) Brigham Young Academy, the library is gorgeous. It is definitely a staple of Historic Downtown Provo and makes my day whenever I drive past.

Julie had been to the library once before but hadn't explored too much. So we set out together to find the perfect, casual, study area. Remember, it's Saturday, we were attempting to act reasonably and only committed ourselves to casual studying. After walking past ballrooms, a wonderful children's area and a Mary Kay convention, we finally found some comfy chairs, and took our seats. We both just sat there for a minute, not ready to start studying just yet. Scanning the books on the aisle we both noted large, coffee table, style books featuring Kentucky and Oregon. We both pocketed the idea of looking through them for another time.

We needed a guest passcode to use the internet so Julie headed to the front desk to get the information, I stayed with our stuff and sat there eating my new Santa shaped chocolates. When I got up to throw away the rapper I stumbled upon their Christmas book section! I preceded to pile up quite the collection then headed back to our chairs. Julie was still gone, so I enjoyed my first Christmas Tale of the season, it was truly quite touching! Then Julie returned, without a passcode. Next time, we are bringing proof of Provo residency so we can fully utilize this great resource we have!

We were both a little put off by not having the internet. I needed the grading rubric for a paper I was working on writing, so sadly, ever so sadly, I had to postpone writing my paper. This is when Julie and I turned to our coffee table books. We both reminisced about our old homes and all the good times we had there. At this point, I am completely relaxed. Julie curls up with her ipod for a nap and I flip through a chapter of my textbook, reshelf the Christmas books I can no longer take home with me, and explore the library a little. Soon it was dark, and we had spent a good part of our Saturday just soaking in the library.

It was so refreshing to step away from the stress and efficiency of the Harold B. Lee Library on campus. I sure hope, and know we will, make another trip there soon. After all, there are more than a few books I would love to check out.

"Libraries are reservoirs of strength, grace and wit, reminders of order, calm and continuity, lakes of mental energy, neither warm not cold, light nor dark . . . In any library in the world, I am at home, unselfconscious, still and absorbed." ~ Germaine Greeer