Positive attitude is effusive at library

I'm Morgan, a soon-to-be freshman at the high school. I've been volunteering at the wonderful Pea Ridge Public Library for about a month now; I've got to say, it's amazing. I've spent my past summers idly reading or watching TV, but now I can actually make my time useful, I can make a difference. By volunteering here I have the joy and satisfaction of knowing that I am helping such an essential facility to thrive in the Pea Ridge community.

Whilst here, I have seen the joy of young children finding books they adore. I've seen the power of a great story, and the influence of a single tale on a person. A young girl was so happy simply because she saw a Woody picture book, the grin on her face was infectious; only, she just couldn't quite reach the shelf, when I got the book for her, the girl's excitement was amazing. To see a kid so young already finding such joy in reading was absolutely astounding. She ran to her grandmother and stumbled through the words on the page, trying so hard to read her Woody book, it was spectacular! I've seen very few kids sparkle so when they read.

Other times it won't just be a younger child, I've seen the employees or volunteers that have been there longer speak to regulars by name. They're so kind to these people, they drop everything simply to join you in gushing over a film or novel. As a bystander you watch that grin overtake the patron's face as they talk about that book or that movie and they become free with their words, the story flowing from their lips like a song. This is what happens in our happy little library. It fosters such joy in everyone who steps foot in.

I don't think I've watched a single person leave the establishment without a smile stretched wide upon their lips, laden down with a load of fresh material. The mood in our library is positively contagious. I highly encourage anyone with time to spare, pop on in, grab a book, or a movie, or just sit on the couch and read the newspaper for a spell. No Pea Ridge resident is complete without a visit to our happy little library once in awhile.

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Editor's note: Morgan Humphrey, a ninth-grade volunteer at the Pea Ridge Community Library, wrote the Library column this week. The opinions expressed are those of the writer. She can be reached at the library at 451-8442.