The Library

The Library 1Yesterday, I took the girls to the library.

My 3-year-old was happy, so happy when we went to the desk to sign up for her very own library card. The librarian held up two card options - a special kids one with cartoons on it or a plain green one (the same one as mine). "Green!" she stated confidently.

The Library 2We scanned the shelves and picked out books from the shelves. My 3-year-old wanted to stop and read one, but my 11-month-old was wiggly and squiggly and wanted to get down. And I just *couldn't* put her down on that foreign carpet to crawl around on. Too.Many.Germs.

So we scooped up the five books, the 2 books with CDs, and the 1 DVD. And checked out. And went home.

The Library 3My 3-year-old can't get enough of those "books with CDs." She wants to put in the CDs again and again.

So that's what we did on the car ride home. And yesterday afternoon. And this morning.

Tim and I will probably have "I Love You, Stinky Face" (recommended) and "Arthur's Birthday" (not recommended) memorized by the end of the week.

P.S. Sometimes I wipe down the library books with disinfectant wipes.

YOUR TURN: Do you go to the library? Do you read "books with CDs" and, if so, which ones do you recommend?

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38 comments on “The Library”

  1. I couldn't help but laugh whenever I read your P.S. about the disinfectant wipes - I do that too! We use the library closest to our house and we also LOVE Bookmans on Speedway. My three year old also loves the books with CD - we're all about books for gifts (birthday, Christmas, etc) so we'll buy our own then, but have checked out a few. A current favorite in our house is "What do you do with a kangaroo?"

  2. When I stayed home, we often went to the library. Now Taylor takes them out of her school library and we go to Bookman's and trade books so they get something new. They love books!

  3. My husband took our little one to the library on Monday (his day off). I think we are going to start making that a regular routine. We try to surround her with books, and what better place to do that than the library!

  4. I really like your blog but posts like this really tend to boggle my mind. Maybe it is just something from the different places we live since I am from upstate NY, but I don't think germs are a really big deal. I don't understand the people who are so worried about them, that is why we have an immune system.

    My kids love the library and they love the kids room with the puzzles and the activities and the children's computer and and the carpets and little foam chairs for story time.

    I don't worry about germs except to tell them to cover their mouth and wash their hands, both at appropriate times.

  5. We LOVE the library and go often. Haven't ever checked out the book with CD before, but my mom has tons of those at her house for the kids and they love those too. I'll have to look for the one you suggested. Thanks! =)

  6. I've taken to going to the library with my 3.5 yr old on Saturdays when hubby is home to stay with the sleeping 2 year old. So.much.easier!
    We haven't checked out any books with CD but I have checked out books on CD.

  7. I love the library! In addition to the books, we go to Toddler Time complete with songs, finger plays, and a big parachute every week.

    I'll be honest though. I'm still learning how to navigate the library with my boisterous 2.5 year old son. He enjoys the books once we get home, but while at the library, he likes to run up and down the isles and act crazy. It makes it really hard to get books for him, and though I try to go every week, I really have to go when I'm feeling extra-patient. We're still working on our library etiquette!

  8. My son & I love the library. The one in our town is tiny, but the librarians know us by name, and it's within walking distance. Plus, we have a great interlibrary loan system, so I can pick up just about any book imaginable at our tiny little library. We'll often visit the library in the next town over, because they have an amazing children's section -- train table, fish tank, story hours, you name it, they have it.

    I haven't done books on tape/CD with my son yet, but I have a box full waiting for him (I used to be a preschool teacher). My former preschoolers loved books on tape!

  9. I wipe the library books down with disinfectant wipes, too! Not so much to protect against "sick germs" but the ick factor of where in the world those books have been... ick.

  10. Elizabeth has had her own library card since she was 4 or 5 weeks old, when we went to Babytime for the first time. Funny you should post about reading too!

    We don't worry about the floors. Maybe I should as Elizabeth has been known to ...um... lick as she goes (it's like she's tasting her way around). But we decided early on that we'd think of it as "building a strong immune system" instead of worrying about germs. She's such a busy, busy little person that we'd have a constant battle on our hands otherwise.

  11. Library? Yes. Books with CDs? We own a couple but have never looked for them at the library. My kids would probably like that. Germs at the library? YES. Our last visit involved many ill-fated attempts at keeping my 14 month old away from a couple other kids with nasty coughs. Needless to say he came down with it himself less than a week later. Unfortunately he is at the age where he just screams when we attempt to restrain him (stroller, Baby Bjorn, it doesn't matter) so he is exposed to a lot as we run around with his siblings ages 7 and almost 5!

  12. We love the library and books on CD. Last year my then 4yr old got her own library card and she loved it. I wish they had a kids one at our library card, but one for all. We enjoy books on Cd and listen to them often on our 45 minute commute every day. Oh and I had to smile because my daughter has the exact same pj's with the fruit on it!! Too funny. Have a great weekend.

  13. I LOVE the library. As an avid reader I could never keep up with my demand and pay my bills. And finding new books for my children without the investment is wonderful.

    I do prefer to check out books w/o the CDs...just one more thing to worry about with a house full of kids.

    Movies from the library are wonderful. We recently introduced our children to The Dark Crystal, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and The Apple Dumpling Gang...all for free through the library. Perfect for family movie nights!

  14. Jayce is a huge fan of books with CD's too. We have a variety of bible story books with Sunday school type songs on them that he loves...

    We do also have some of the more standard read-along type of CD books but I keep them in the car for long trips and then always forget to use them. :(

    PS. I love you Stinky Face is a big hit in this household too!

  15. We love the library as well, but I'm with you on the floors - ICK!!! AND, I have been doing the disinfectant wiping since the first book we checked out. Sadly, I even wipe every page of the board ones. Ya just never know! We've never done the book on CD thing before. I had a friend give me some old books on tape, and my oldest hated it saying something along the lines of "I want YOUR voice, Mommy." That was all it took! Plus, I don't want to deprive myself of the natural snuggle effect of reading to my little ones!
    Although you asked about books on CD, I can't resist the opportunity to tell about my older daughter's favorite books. Magic Tree House books by Mary Pope Osborne rock our little world! We are on the waiting list at the library (they just ordered it) for the latest one, #43! These got her interested in novels, and we have since ready MANY others! The other FAVORITE children's book for my girls is Tikki Tikki Tembo - Oh such fun to say "Tikki Tikki Tembo, No Sa Rembo, Charri Barri Ruchi, Pip Perry Pembo" three times as fast as possible!

  16. Your little gals are too cute! My 2 girls love the library as well! And it helps that the library has a children's section, with books easily accessible, bright colors, and everything else that invites their creativity to flow.

    At first, it overwhelmed me because of so many books, I didn't know which ones to look for, but now, we go with a theme in mind - depending on what my oldest learned in pre-school, or something we've been discussing throughout the week. Then, we go to the librarian or computer to pull up suggestions on book in that topic. They love it!

  17. Every Thursday morning I bundle my girls up and we head to the library for storytime. My girls adore and look forward to storytime each week. My two year old is enthralled with books on tape, the puzzles there, the puppet show, the little movie clip they show, and all the books! I too enjoy letting the girls expand their imagination and learning right along with them!

  18. I remember our first trip to the library too! So much fun. My daughter and I still visit the library at least once a week and its great. We love The Runaway Pancake read by John Lithgow on CD. Its adorable and every kid I know really likes it. I hear you about the germs! I carry the antibacterial wipes and walk around with them at the library. Sometimes my daughter uses the public access computers for the kiddo games so I am crazy with the antibacterial on there! Oh well-better safe than sorry. So far, so good-no major flus, swine flu, etc......

  19. We got to the library often. The books on CD haven't held Amelia's interest, but any music does! Amelia enjoys listening to nursery rhymes and paging through nursery rhyme books at the same time.

  20. I'm a library lady...and I love to read about people using and enjoying their library! :)

    Paige and I attend the Wee Read twice a month for children birth-3. In August she'll move up to the Story Time group.

    Our children's librarians wipe the books before they are placed back on the shelf...but it's still a good idea to wipe them down yourself.

    Paige calls the library Mom's Work. It's never "Can we go to the library?" It's "Can we go to your work to get new books?". I love it anyway!

    We haven't ventured into the books w/CD's yet. Right now, we are enjoying the beginning reader books. The Princess books are a favorite...especially anything with Snow White.

  21. We went to the library for the first time in a while yesterday too! Actually just my 3yo and my husband went for the very reasons you stated about your own baby girl. My husband let my son pick out whatever books he wanted. And then my husband got a good recommendation for a first chapter book (without pictures!) for my husband to read aloud to him. They are into dragons and castles and all sorts of Narnia things so it's their cup of tea. A total daddy and son thing.

    I've heard good things about "I Love You Stinky Face" but have never read it. I should!

  22. Thanks for visiting my blog, and yes, we're in AZ too.

    I've been taking my boys to the library since they were little, partially because we all love it, and partially for the free air conditioning in the summer! ;)

  23. I'm a librarian so I'm at the library every day. I love reading how people use their libraries so all of this is great info! We just started a babytime playgroup for babies and their Moms/Dads from birth to 24 months. It seems like a good way to get those parents socializing and also to start the love of reading early. We haven't yet had Autumn listen to books on cds but we get books out all the time.

    In our library parents can get their children cards when they want to, not at a certain age or when they can write their name.

  24. We love our library, though we haven't been there in a while due to the weather (we walk over since we only have 1 car). I haven't checked out any of the books with CDs yet, but they have some appealing ones.

    How cute that your daughter wanted the same "grown up" card as Mommy.

  25. We do go to the library...though I honestly haven't gone in a while in an attempt to not get sick before babe#3 arrives very soon. I miss it though. We all have fun picking out books that appeal to us.
    We don't usually check out any books with Cd, although when I had only 1 child we used to have a library with a great selection of DVDs we'd occasionally borrow. These days I have a hard time keeping the books from mysteriously disappearing in our household.
    I also just wanted to thank you so much for commenting on my blog today. As I just got started last week, right now I'm still in my safe little IRL family/friends community, and you're the first online connection. Much thanks, and if you think anyone on this blog would enjoy reading, feel free to announce it in your announcements. I'm still smiling. Thanks again!

  26. We live a five minute walk from the library, which is wonderful! My son loves pulling down all the books (and sometimes reading them), coloring pictures and carrying around the stuffed animals. They have storytime, and other entertaining programs so there's lots to do. I haven't seen any books with CD's there, but then again I haven't really looked. I just love our local library!

  27. We love the library and go regularly. We have a huge branch downtown that I have been taking my little boy to once a week since he was about 15 months old. They have really fun age-appropriate story/music/play programs for little ones and moms starting at 9 months, and I started registering him for these after his first birthday. Then we usually check out several books and play in the play kitchen and toy area before heading home.
    My husband also takes our little boy to the library branch around the corner most Monday nights when I work. They come back with all kinds of books and CDs (not usually books with CDs though, just musical CDs--Baby Loves Jazz, Here Come the 1,2,3s etc.) We currently have 50 items checked out of our library--and this is not unusual. We get very attached to our library books and CDs and have a hard time returning some of them. But then it's always fun to get new ones :-)
    Just a small handful of my recent favorites off the top of my head:
    Kiss Kiss (a board book)
    Chicken and Cat Clean Up (a picture book)
    Pip and Squeak
    Papa, Please Get the Moon for Me
    Truck Stuck (my little boy knows this one by heart)
    Kid Tea
    The Philharmonic Gets Dressed
    M is for Music
    (sorry I don't know the authors off-hand)
    Our library offers kids and parents great reading incentives and prizes, both for reading and for reading aloud to your child. We also have a program in our city where every child gets a new book mailed to them for free every month of their life until they are 5! You just have to sign up, and the books we have received so far have been fabulous. I absolutely love our library.
    Oh, and my little boy just got his library card too--this past Monday. He is so, so proud of it! :-)

  28. We got to story time almost every Thursday and sometimes Mondays (It's an earlier story time and it's Monday). We haven't checked out any books with CDs since my son is only (almost)18 months old and doesn't quite have the attention span for them. The idea of wiping down the books with disinfectant wipes is AWESOME. They kind of gross me out. But we still check out at least one board book a week.

  29. Oh, I'm so jealous! When my daughter was two, I asked at our library when a child can get their own library card and the librarian told me when they're four or so, old enough to be 'responsible'. Well, after my daughter turned four in January I thought it would be wonderful for her to get her own card, but when we went in the librarian told us the age was five! I had stupidly mentioned getting the card to my daughter beforehand, and she was so disappointed. I'm still kind of upset about it.

    All that to say, yes, we use the library, a LOT. I find their online library catalog/reserve system to be absolutely invaluable.

  30. my boys love going to the library! getting to read new books that we don't have at home is so much fun. my oldest also loves going to the library with his kindergarten class and bringing home a new book each week.
    although we haven't checked out any books with cd's, i am definitely going to try it. i love the idea of bringing those along on car rides.
    i've never thought of wiping the books, but have though about the germs. yuck! our library has a table with wooden puzzles on it... imagine the germs on that. yuck again!

  31. My girls LOVE the library. Our library does story time several times a day during the week. They do coloring activities to go with the story and the kids are sent home with a short poem to memorize- then when they come the next week they can pass of the poem they get a treat.

    Ivy is loving checking out new books every week.

  32. We love going to the library - actually two different local libraries. Baby loves to run up and down the aisles of books and every so often picks one off the shelf. I guess he is not quite old enough to understand how cool the library is, but soon enough he will be like his mommy and want to leave with at least 8 books at a time.

    P.S. That picture of Little Sister reading the Very Hungry Caterpillar just melts my heart!

  33. We go to story hour at our local library every Monday morning. The girls love Ms. Regina's books, dancing with the other kids, making music, and whatever craft project she has for them that day. Afterwards we go into the children's section and everyone gets to pick one or two books each... but that's still a lot of books for one family to keep up with (don't feel too badly for them our entire house is covered up in bookshelves that are completely full!) We loved the Stinky Face board book, but I've never checked out any of the books with CD's. Oh, and I agree about the Arthur books... he seems so disrespectful. We don't watch the shows that are on PBS or read the books mainly for that reason.

  34. Yes, we enjoy the library. My three-year-old enjoys the library a bit too much. (We got shushed in the *children's section* one time.) Never thought about wiping down the books, but that's probably a good idea.

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