I've been thinking a lot about books lately. I love to read, but I am not an accumulator of books. Oh yes, I have owned my share of books, but I don't really "collect" them. At least not hundreds of them.
Everyone should own some favorite printed books, touch them, reread them, keep and enjoy them. However, hoarding of books should definitely be discouraged. Large quantities of books are called libraries, and they are generally found in schools, corporations, or public buildings specifically designed to house such collections. Andrew Carnegie (1835-1919) built many of these Public Libraries. Such buildings have sprinkler systems to protect their highly flammable volumes. Large libraries are not meant to be kept in your large closets or in your spare bedrooms or attics. That's too much paper in one place. Folks, keeping thousands of books in your bedroom closet or in your attic, however big those spaces might be, is a fire hazard. Don't do it.
I'm not even going to mention, the smell of musty dusty volumes. let's just say, that they can be a health hazard. Public libraries have solutions for that, also.
Lending Libraries have been around for over 200 years. Also, electronic books, like Kindles, tablets or even PCs, give readers a personal "ownership" of written material and take up a teeny tiny bit of space. On these tools, you can even enlarge or reduce the size of the print to suit your personal eyesight. You may have a whole library, in one small, even hand-held space.
Holding onto books that you will never, ever read again, isn't practical. Knowledge is not determined by the number of books that you have read or own. Knowledge is how you put the words that you have read, to use. Step into the 21st Century and keep reading. But do it sensibly.
..................................
Dear Lord. Thank you for giving us an occasional "wake-up" call. Knowlege is a Gift of the Spirit. Help us to seek it. Wisdom is also a Gift. Remind us to use knowledge wisely.
No comments:
Post a Comment