| 1. To discuss compelling topics |
| 2. To select from one of the best international film collections |
| 3. To get copies of books for my book group and a research packet to generate discussion |
| 4. To have wireless access to the Internet—free! |
| 5. To read magazines I don’t subscribe to |
| 6. To hear a children’s librarian greet my 1-year-old—by name! |
| 7. To view art on display without leaving my town |
| 8. To have a place to go in between doctor’s appointments |
| 9. To tutor a student in one of the quiet conference rooms |
| 10. To study for the Bar Exam |
| 11. To write my novel in a quiet, motivating place |
| 12. To warm up after a morning of shopping on Main Street |
| 13. To read Consumer Reports before starting out on a shopping trip |
| 14. To take my child to storytime |
| 15. To bump into friends |
| 16. To have a play date |
| 17. To bring my visiting grandchildren |
| 18. To borrow toys for my visiting grandchildren |
| 19. To print from my laptop anywhere in the library |
| 20. To watch my child read with gusto to a dog at “Reading to Rover” |
| 21. To use one of the computers when my home PC breaks down |
| 22. To eat lemon pound cake at the café |
| 23. To get help navigating cyberspace from librarians, the original search engines! |
| 24. To watch rowers on the Saugatuck River |
| 25. To catch up on email during a busy day away from home or office |
| 26. To call or email any question I have—and have them answered quickly and accurately! |
| 27. To meet with my investment club |
| 28. To try new technology such as the Nintendo Wii |
| 29. To reread a favorite author |
| 30. To hear, in person, the author I’ve just finished reading |
| 31. To buy a paperback for 50 cents. |
| 32. To buy great gifts for my friends |
| 33. To listen to audio books while driving or commuting |
| 34. To borrow travel packs jammed with books and tapes for our next family vacation |
| 35. To be with Will Shortz at the annual crossword puzzle competition in February |
| 36. To hear people like Philippe de Montebello, Joshua Bell, and Vartan Gregorian—right here in Westport! |
| 37. To catch those HBO shows I didn’t see like “The Sopranos” and “Six Feet Under” |
| 38. To receive research guidance for my middle school position paper |
| 39. To grab a cup of coffee and chat with a friend |
| 40. To keep my spouse happy while I shop! |
| 41. To settle a bet with my friends by getting the answer from a librarian |
| 42.To get confidential assistance with sticky questions |
| 43. To hear a concert with my children on Sunday afternoons |
| 44. To have a place to go where I am welcome |
| 45. To have a place to go where I know I can slip into a corner and work |
| 46. To learn about other religions |
| 47. To browse the bulletin boards and find out what’s going on in town |
| 48. To pick up free, local newspapers |
| 49. To find recipes for my next dinner party |
| 50. To research an article I’m writing for a trade publication |
| 51.
To plan a menu for a party I’m having using the cookbook collection |
| 52. To concentrate! |
| 53. To meet my classmates to study for exams |
| 54. To get great reading recommendations tailor-made for me |
| 55. To reserve all the books I want |
| 56. To learn about wolves and see a real one in the McManus Room |
| 57. To meet with other grown-ups now that I’m home with my toddler! |
| 58. To brush up on skills I missed while out of the workforce |
| 59. To hear the latest strategies about how to begin a job search |
| 60. To pick up a movie I want to see and get a recommendation for the next one |
| 61. To have the staff send books to my homebound neighbor |
| 62. To search the Internet with expert guidance |
| 63. To sit in silence for a part of my hectic day |
| 64. To learn all sides of an issue without commercial bias |
| 65. To watch all the films starring my favorite actor |
| 66. To attend a book group discussion |
| 67. To learn about astrophysics or listen to a best seller from an audio book |
| 68. To get a recommendation on what book to buy for my grandchildren |
| 69. To volunteer for the annual book sales |
| 70. To learn how to help my children with their research |
| 71. To plan a trip around the world |
| 72. To retrieve the newspaper article I threw out by mistake |
| 73. To get a library card for my child |
| 74. To sing with my 18 month old |
| 75. To read a libretto and listen to the score before going to the opera |
| 76. To hear a discussion on issues on Iran or immigration |
| 77. To learn how to download an audio book or video |
| 78. To celebrate Harry Potter with the whole family |
79. To participate in a town wide read
(this year it’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz) |
| 80. To research how many traffic lights there are in the US |
| 81. To learn about green products for my home |
| 82. To learn about “You Tube” to impress my grandchildren |
| 83. To be part of the Rabbit Hill Festival of Literature |
| 84. To come to “Mother Goose” time |
| 85. To borrow a book that was found for me halfway around the world |
| 86. To listen to the poetry of Billy Collins |
| 87. To get Amy Sedaris’s autograph |
| 88. To find music, vows and speeches for a wedding |
| 89. To find out the coefficient of thermal expansion of titanium |
| 90. To find spooky stories to read at a campfire |
| 91. To watch movies on a cold January afternoon |
| 92. To watch movies on a hot August afternoon |
| 93. To hear technology talks by Irving Wladawsky Berger, David Pogue,
Michael Wilens and many, many others |
| 94. To run in and grab a bestseller from the express book shelves for the weekend |
| 95. To research foundation grants |
| 96. To find out how to get in touch with a sculptor in a remote Alaskan village |
| 97. To donate books |
| 98. To find a copy of a Pablo Neruda poem in Spanish |
99. To see children’s happy faces
|
| 100. To be greeted with a welcoming smile |
dcelia@westportlibrary.org