My hometown library is AWESOME. They have a great selection, wonderful librarians, speedy reserve orders… everything a humble patron could want. So how do I properly show my appreciation? I’m not made of money, but neither are most libraries. What’s best? A starbucks gift card for the staff to share? Homemade/ storebought cookies? A donation to the Friends of the Library? I know we have some librarians on the Dope - what could a patron do to let you know that what you do matters every day?
(P.S. I thought Cafe Society would get good answers from bookish folks, but if mods feel this is better suited to IMHO, I understand.)
I’m not a librarian and I haven’t played one on television, but if you were to accompany cookies to share or a donation to the Friends of the Library with a handwritten note detailing just how awesome they are, I think you’d send them all over the moon.*
*For those who don’t know that expression, it means they’d be really, really, really happy.
I used to get my librarians a gift every year. I would get several boxes of storebought cookies or candy, add a card signed “The Beetle* Family”, and sneak it on to the desk.
I’m not doing it now, because I’ve started using a branch of the library that is so small I can’t leave it without being seen, and I really liked the anonymity.
Cookies are good. Definitely good. But storebought, homemade stuff tends to get looked at funny because a lot of wackos use the library (not implying you’re a wacko).
But if you want to do a donation, ask one of the librarians what they need and then offer to buy it.
Well, a lady used to bring us fresh hot honeybuns from the Biscuit House. We ate the hell out of those. Generally, though, unless we know you really well we don’t eat your homemade food, no.
Thanks for all the suggestions. I think I’m going to go with some (definitely storebought; I don’t really have the time or the talent for baking) cookies and a nice card, followed up by a letter of praise to the proper library authorities.
