I have a question for you to think about today — what are your earliest memories of a library?
I lived in a small town in eastern Pennsylvania during my elementary school years, and we did not have a public library. So, the school library was my first experience exploring a library and getting a library card. I remember thinking it was incredible to have so many books available for me to check out, and I became a voracious reader. I decided in second grade that I was going to read all the books in the library, and so I started with the A’s and worked my way through the alphabet. I think I got to the R’s by the time I moved on to middle school. That love of books and libraries has stuck with me for my whole life.
As a child, I thought libraries were all about books, and that librarians were really nice people who helped you find a book (or sometimes helped you reach a book that was on the top shelf). Today, I know that libraries are so much more. Here at Gustavus, the Folke Bernadotte Memorial Library is both a physical place and a portal to the digital world. It is quiet and bustling; it provides materials and services; it celebrates the past through the Gustavus Adolphus College and Lutheran Church Archives and looks to the future with new technologies; it is a place to ask questions and to explore the answers. The Gustavus library is both a community space and a space that builds community. And, perhaps most importantly, it is for everyone — students, faculty, staff, alumni, members of the local community, and all who seek information and knowledge from trusted sources.
The Folke Bernadotte Memorial Library is special. It is a place of discovery, where connections are made. The library’s 2022-23 self-study document put it this way: “Our work is built on partnerships. From our departmental liaison program to the collaborations that underpin interlibrary-loan services, we are experts at building bridges. We connect people to information, connect people with other people, connect ideas to build new knowledge, and connect resources with opportunities.”
This week, try to make a point of swinging by the Folke Bernadotte Memorial Library. Maybe you’ll find a new book to read, a new person to meet, or a new idea to explore. Whatever you are looking for, our capable and welcoming faculty and staff in the library will help you find it.
Shared from “Monday Moments with President Bergman” on November 13, 2023