Photograph by Louise Webb
Sisters Janise, 6, and Karena Chang, 9, check out books from the library.
When a friend moved to Saratoga not knowing anyone, she told her children they had friends--the books in the library. It helped their isolation. When I was at the library recently on a Sunday, I noted how busy the library was and wondered what people were reading and doing there, so I asked them.
A frequent library user is Roberta Savage, who was looking at the new books that can be taken out for a week. She thinks people are going to the library and reading more because there is so much junk on television these days.
Janise and Karena Chan were checking out books in the children's section. Their father was with them. He was one of several fathers there that day.
Francoise Epsztein, president of the Los Gatos-Monte Sereno- Saratoga Newcomers, moved here from France. She says she likes to look at the French magazine Match because it reminds her of home. She is in awe of our library because it is so much better than the libraries in France and offers so much diversity. Plus, everything is free here.
Diane Flohr belongs to an investment club. She was looking up information to help her in the club. Carol Munce remarked that the library is the best thing we have in town.
Steve Kelly was looking up books on job-searching because he wanted to rewrite his résumé. David Verga was busy looking at CDs. There is no limit on the number of CDs you can check out, he noted. Mystery lover Anita Hawks' favorite mystery author is Patrick O'Brien. She was disappointed that his books she hadn't read were already checked out.
Adam Gidaszenski says it is a two-mile walk from his house to the library. He was using the computer. Several patrons were checking out cookbooks, including Pat Wright, who has been in a gourmet cooking group with his neighbors for 22 years. One woman said she borrows cookbooks because she likes trying a new recipe weekly. A woman from Cupertino, who just got engaged, was checking out cookbooks because she wants to learn how to cook before getting married. Marcella Forrest, who had her 3-month-old baby with her in a stroller, was also browsing in the cooking section.
Bonnie Stone comes to the library at least once a week. She takes out both print books and books on tape. A man who had been recently widowed said he came to the library to be surrounded by people. He felt it was better to be there than at home listening to the silence. J. Hampton Brown was there to look up an area code in the Arizona telephone book.
Seven-year-old Allyson Fore was reading a children's book while her brother, Alex, an eighth-grader at St. Andrew's School, was looking up references for a report. His friend John Whitwell said it was a good place to do his homework. He said the library isn't noisy, and it's a good place to get lots of references.
Bernadette Frager stopped by to pick up a book on reserve. She says the Saratoga Library is one of the best libraries there is.
Four-year-old Claire Henry was with her grandmother, Lucy Hathaway. She likes videos and picture books. That day she was fascinated by the puppet stage and enjoying coloring pictures provided by the children's librarian.
Shelly Sarkiaran said the current magazines were a help for her report. Katy Mastman, Charlene Killebrew and Kirby Lee found the copy machine helpful. Lee added that the librarians are always helpful.
Pat Vick says she has been coming to the library for 32 years. She likes biographies and checked out one by Katherine Graham. Ileana Benhmore likes to browse first and then take out something that piques his interest.
Eight-year-old Albert Ching had 20 books. His mom was helping him carry them. He said he would finish them in three weeks because he didn't want to pay a fine.
Bob Reardon was dropping off some of his subscription magazines at the front table so others could enjoy them. He found magazines there that someone else had left to share.
Several people were using computers and accessing the Internet. Talking to people at the library, it seemed there was something for everyone. How fortunate that we have this great place with so much to offer, and how wonderful that the Friends of the Libraries have made it possible for the library to remain open on Sundays.
This article appeared in the Saratoga News, April 16, 1997.
©1997 Metro Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.