Luke … Use the library

[23rdYahoos]

Okay, now this may seem redundant to many of you, but I had to share. I was at my ACW re-enacting unit's monthly meeting and had brought a book with me. The book was titled - Disgrace at Gettysburg: The Arrest and Court-Martial of Brigadier General Thomas A. Rowley by John F. Krumwiede. A good book by the way, and a very interesting story.

Anyway, a couple of the members were interested in the book, as well as others that I had referenced in the past, and were asking where I had purchased it, and where my 'secret' stash of ACW books and information was coming from.

When I explained that I just go to the local county library, and check out a book from their very expansive selection … I just got blank stares and quizzical looks. Going on to further explain that not only is it free to borrow books, but that they also had a very large multi-media section with movies, albums, books-on-tape, DVSs, etc, I began to see a few glimmers of understanding and could smell the smoke as the boys began making plans to visit the library themselves.

I guess it is just one of those things that some of the younger guys just take for granted once they are out of school. They all religiously scour the internet and the forums for information and such, but they seem to forget that the local library is a great source for all kinds of good stuff, and it is all FREE!

Give it a try. You may be surprised!

 

[matthew mckeon]

Your local library is a gem. I would encourage people to use the library, take advantage of interlibrary loan and the other resources public libraries offer.

 

[Blessmag]

And the Lincoln Library in Springfield is a gem!!! Also found some of the local cities and town libraries to be great resources for family histories for us digging into our roots and our ancestors CW buddies.

 

[shanniereb]

Libraries and archives is another great place to look!

 

[Zuzah]

Libraries? For information?

Witchcraft.

 

[Red Harvest]

I use the library for books I'm not sure I want to buy or that are rare/out of print and expensive. Interlibrary loan works well on the rare ones.

Don't forget about requesting copies of periodical articles through the library--this is particularly useful with state historical society articles.

I also use the library for books I know I don't want to buy, but need some information from or just want to examine the flawed arguments more closely.

 

[kholland]

I use the library for books I'm not sure I want to buy or that are rare/out of print and expensive.

I've been using libraries for years for books, CD's and DVD's. Can't beat it and it's all free! Great selection of Civil War books and I even copied the original "Red Badge of Courage" a few years ago.

 

[Mark F. Jenkins]

I like to say: If heaven is a library, then librarians and archivists are surely the angels.

On the negative side, one of the reasons I had to begin collecting my own library was that my interests grew deeper than the stacks at the library could support.

On the plus side... "inter-library loan." 'Nuff said.

 

[GELongstreet]

While in school I used to read about everything interesting the libraries had to offer - even took a bi-weekly train trip to get to the library in the city my siblings were on and took books on the dozens. One of the greatest cultural and informational assets we have it would be nice if more young people would use it. Over here many books were given as gift to the library, and the librarians I know do always a good, though hard, job in managing and knowing their books. Many also offer free internet (10 years ago this was an awesome bonus)