Poetry Friday: Celebrating Libraries

 

 

 

 

Today's  Poetry Friday Round-Up is being hosted at Paper Tigers.  
Be sure to visit them and take a "Poetry Break!"

Celebrating Libraries  . . . 

As I mentioned earlier this week, it is Library Card Sign-Up Month.  I am a library lover and when I began my studies to get a degree in School Library & Information Technology, I embarked upon a new library adventure . . . every town that I visit, I make it a point to have my picture taken in front of that library (or inside of it).  I am not usually a big fan of being photographed but I make an exception when it comes to libraries (and anything related to books and reading)!  

Yes, Atlantic City, NJ does have a library!

A very small but quaint library in beautiful Cape May, NJ.

Besides having my picture taken in and around libraries, I also began collecting books and poems about libraries. They are the topic of some of my favorite books and poems.  In honor of this celebration of libraries, I thought I'd share just a few of these gems . . . 

First up, Amy Ludwig Van Derwater at the Poem Farm has a fabulous post entitled,  I Can, where she discusses the joys that libraries bring.  I Can is a beautiful poem about what having a library card can do for us!  

Amy has another lovely library poem, The World for Free.  It is one that I read and reread often, since she shared it in a bookmark format! 

I absolutely adore J. Patrick Lewis' Please Bury Me in the Library!

Bagert's poem, Library Cheer, is one of my students favorites!  Last year we read it in a reader's theater format.  The students selected books mentioned in the poem to use as props when they performed it. 

Be sure to "check out" these library poems!  Please share any of your favorite library poems and traditions by leaving them in a comment.