New life

Brought to book

Zenga Longmore

Idon't know what's come over public libraries these days,' my sister Boko remarked. 'All the shops, especially those selling food, are staying open later and later every night, and are even open on Sundays. Yet libraries, which provide food for thought, are cutting their hours and opening less and less. I can only go to the library after work two days a week — the other five it shuts early or doesn't open at all. What's more, they've taken to sending me threatening overdue book cards for books I sent back ages ago!' Just then, there was a crash from the next room. Omalara has now acquired the disconcerting habit of pulling a chair up to the cupboard of her choice and then hurl- ing the contents at random all over the floor. 'Let her have her fun,' is the view I was inclined to take. But Boko, being a less

forbearing character, insisted that I retrieve the errant child.

`It was the bookcase. She's pulled out Harmsworth's Universal Encyclopaedia, K to Met.'

`Well, it's an ill wind. Look up Libraries, and see if they were better in the old days.'

Omalara climbed on to my lap and ordered, 'Read!' For some reason, she believes every book in the world to contain the story of the Three Bears, her current favourite. So I had to relate to her the por- ridge saga from my head, whilst actually reading about libraries.

`My word!' I reported back to Boko later. `In the old days, people would borrow whole libraries, take them away to other countries and never return them! After the fall of Warsaw in 1794, the Russians took the Polish national library to St Petersburg, and simply ignored all overdue book reminders. A library founded by the King of Macedonia was withdrawn lock, stock and struggling librarian and taken by sol- diers to Rome in 168 BC. Perhaps the cen- turions rigged the date stamps — it's easily done.'

`Well, be that as it may,' Boko replied, buttoning up her jacket, 'we've got to col- lect the kids from school and go down to our local library right now. I must get this overdue book card mystery sorted out once and for all.'

I would not go so far as to say that the librarian shuddered when she saw Boko and her three children tear into her work- place, but her right eyebrow certainly twitched. 'Look,' began Boko, 'what's the idea of sending me all those cards for over- due children's books? I've sent the children back with every one of those books. Isn't that right, Kuba?'

`Yes, mummy. Look, there's Sally Buys a New Dress that I put back last week, still there where I left it. You see,' she explained, throwing the librarian an angelic smile, 'I never took it to the counter so's to save you the trouble.'

`Yeah, me too,' piped up Boko's Youngest daughter, Comfort. 'Look, I'll show you where I left them!' and she ran to an adult shelf marked Philosophy and returned with Sammy Buys a Blue Hat, Bob and Betsy Go to the Supermarket and Mummy Makes an Omelette. Then, skipping to the crime section, she pulled out a well- thumbed copy of Lizzy Goes for a Short Walk.

And there's lots more, y'know!'

By now, a distinct shudder was passing through the librarian's frame. `Th-th-thank you, children. How nice. I Wondered why people were complaining that the crime novels were too obvious and the philosophy was too easy!'

`Three Bears!' roared Omalara. `Goldi- locks!'

If an army of Roman soldiers had, at that moment, burst in and carried the whole

libr a.y- to Rome, the librarian would no doubt have murmured a sigh of relief.