Mother of all Libraries

This week I finally got my library card in Pittsburgh. I've been a library card holder since about age 3... maybe earlier, I can't really remember. But I lost track of such amenities during college. Here I am at the heart of the American library movement; "Free to the People" is carved right on the front of the building, and yet the system is hurting. Libraries are cutting back hours and closing down entirely, so I chose to get the paid membership card. Far from being a mandatory thing, paying just $30 for my card for the year made me feel like I've made some small contribution to the system that made reading, information, and learning fun for me, and ultimately lead me to graduate school.