Libraries are about people and communities

The Gonville Café Library has been busy as usual - high school students on study leave are about, our wonderful regular customers coming and going, the Gonville Knitting Group and quite a lot of new faces popping in to see what we are all about. New faces normally bring a sense of looking at my library with new eyes as they take it all in. I am then asked, "what does this library do?". For me at times when I look around my library, it seems more appropriate to ask "what doesn't the library do?"
If you look beyond the books, the information services, the free Wi-Fi and computers, I see people and communities. Libraries, in my opinion, are fundamentally about books and information, but they are also about the people and communities they serve. A third space to be, so to speak, outside of people's home and work, if you are lucky enough to have a job. Libraries, as I have always said, are an amazing space and opportunity to learn, relax, connect and be a part of your community. Watching my community at the Gonville Café Library for the past six years has been both a privilege and a myriad of learning about individuals, group dynamics, the strengths of communities and how a library can enhance a community. As I have always said, libraries are more than books; they are about people.
The Gonville Knitting Group hosted both the New Vista Knitting Club and the Tai Chi group on Wednesday morning. A delicious morning tea was had by all and the chatter was incredible. Kind of amazing when you think it was the simple love of knitting and giving back to their communities that brought them together.
Remember the Whanganui Climate Change March which will be taking place this Saturday, November 28 at 12 noon, leaving from the Riverside Markets, making its way to Majestic Square. Huge issue that we at the Gonville Knitting Group are proud to be supporting.
Book Review
After You - Jojo Moyes
This is the long-awaited sequel to Me Before You and one that I was particularly eager to read, as I was left sobbing and thinking surely this can't be how this beautiful story ends? And low and behold I was right, the sequel After You came across my counter last week. I immediately postponed other reading to get absorbed back into Louisa Clark's life. Without giving away too much of both stories, After You focuses on the aftermath of life without Will, a man she was employed to care for and ultimately fell in love with. I was entirely hopeful that the integrity and emotionally-charged writing of the initial story would remain and not fall into the trap of being too over the top. I was sadly disappointed. The story lacked emotion, the characters were two-dimensional and I struggled to feel any connection again to the story or the characters themselves. It left me feeling that we were somewhat spoilt with Me Before You; perhaps the ending should have just left us with questions instead of a sequel that begs the question of "Why bother?".
1.5 / 5 stars
Have a great week. Visit your library and be active in your community.
Find me on Facebook www.facebook.com/inkedlibrarian to keep up to date with library happenings!
¦For more information on any of the activities or comments, please feel free to call in at The Gonville Café Library, email kelly@wanganuilibrary.com