From the time I was a child, the library has been there for me. A place to which I could escape, where I could read, focus, study, work – and most recently, practice yoga.
In my elementary school years, I regularly walked to the library in my Connecticut hometown. During the summer months, I eagerly participated in the library’s summer reading challenge – reading 10 books to earn a certificate. Once home, I found a quiet spot away from my five not-so-quiet sisters where I could lose myself in my books.
In college, while I was an “above-average“ student, it did not come easily. To this day my roommate testifies to the hours I spent in the library, doing homework and studying. No doubt this library time is what led to the two extra Latin words on my diploma – Cum Laude. Upon graduation, while working full time, I spent many evenings and weekends in the library studying for the CPA exam (yes, I did ultimately pass!).
When two of my daughters were in middle school, I volunteered in their school library assisting the librarians with shelving books and other tasks. That work extended to work in the library of our town’s brand new high school which opened in September, 2001. The Hopkinton High School Library will forever be forged in my memory, for it was where I was when I first learned of the attacks of September 11th.
Today, my accounting job is in the library of a large university in Boston. Here, I witness the transformation and relevance of the library in the digital world – database subscriptions, historical archives, and robust digital content, much of which is accessible online.
Perhaps, then it comes as no surprise, that my ties to the library now extend to my role as a Yoga Teacher. What better place than a community based library, to bring the calming practice of yoga – to still the mind. Last Fall, I began to teach yoga on a volunteer basis with Hands to Heart Center – Yoga for the People – a grassroots nonprofit organization that delivers free yoga to Boston’s underserved communities. Since December, it has been my honor to bring yoga to Boston Public Library – Mattapan Branch. Every Thursday evening, I lead an average of a dozen participants of all ages through a gentle yoga practice, with a focus on the breath, while building strength and flexibility. The classes have been warmly received and attendance has been growing. I am deeply grateful for this opportunity to share the bountiful benefits of yoga in this space that holds a special place in my heart – the library.
I love the library.