5 new books

The weather at home can be pretty terrible at this time of year.  And while the skiers are happy to have mounds of snow on the ground, I am not.  I'd be happy if it snowed on December 24th and then all melted on December 26th.  Repeat annually.

So to avoid the snow and resulting unhappy thoughts of shivering, damp, grey days, we abscond to the delightfully laid-back island of Sanibel on the west coast of Florida each winter.  This year is our 12th visit.  And while I know that at home March lasts at least 180 days, here in Sanibel March goes by in a nanosecond.

There are all kinds of vacations; on some we like to do virtually nothing, while on others we are scrambling to immerse ourselves in cultures and places that are different from our own.  Being on Sanibel is all about doing next to nothing.  We certainly get out, see the island, see friends, occasionally drive to other spots in Florida to visit family and friends and eat out more than we do at home.  But we also enjoy the lack of responsibilities and commitments that we have at home. 

A Rochester friend who has been coming to Sanibel for years told us about the wonderful library on the island.  She mentioned that on rainy days she likes to go to the library, sit on a rocking chair on the sheltered porch overlooking the mangroves and read a good book.  Simple pleasures are always the best.

We became fans of the Sanibel Library during one of our first visits here, and learned that visitors can pay $10 annually for a library card.  All the library privileges afforded to permanent residents are then available to the visitors.  We both love to read and we both love this library.

Housed in a bright, modern building, the Sanibel Library is one of the best I have ever visited.  There are stacks and stacks of books, CDs, DVDs, magazines and newspapers available.  The children's section is extensive and there are storytimes scheduled for different ages.  There's a large computer area that always seems to be filled with patrons checking email and doing research.  Meeting rooms are full of folks attending lectures or community gatherings.  But the most impressive part to me is the New Books section:

The image above shows only a sixth of the shelves devoted to new books.  Fiction, non-fiction, biographies, large print and mysteries are all represented here and the selection is wide and varied.  I always walk out with at least 5 books at a time and wish I could read even faster than I already do.  And I am saddened when I think of the New Books area at the library at home.  While the Canandaigua library has struggled financially, it's on firmer footing now, and I hope the New Books section will be upgraded and expanded.  Recently I went to the library looking for new books and saw only 10 books on the shelves.  Seriously. 

Look at the above image and picture this selection in Canandaigua.  Wouldn't it be wonderful?  And remember that Sanibel is a little island with a small year-round population.  It appears that their resources are huge compared to the ones at home.  I'd love to be able to feel like I'm on vacation at home when I go to visit the library.  And I'd love to be able to find at least 5 new books I want to read.