Yesterday, we took our first trip to the Williamson County library and it was a HUGE success! We’d heard great things about the library here and we were so happy that the library lived up to everything we’d been told and more!
We were incredibly impressed with all the great books they have. My kids were especially stoked to find so many Adventures in Odyssey books/DVDs!
I’ve been so happy to see my kids in various parts of the house with their noses stuck in books today. As a lifetime lover of books myself, it just makes me so happy to see my kids becoming such bookworms. 🙂
Related: 7 Ways to Save By Using the Library
SK Bell says
This is why I’m so addicted to this blog… I loved the CDs of Adventures in Odyssey as a kid but had no idea they also have books and DVDs! We’ll definitely be checking some of those out on our next library trip!
Also, I have a request… if you’ve already done this post before then maybe you can just direct me to it, but you can you make some suggestions for good Christian (or at least moral-centered) books and programs you recommend for children by age? I’m the first in my group of cousins and siblings to have a child so I’m learning about it all on my own. It’s harder than I expected!
Ann says
Since you live in TN, you can sign your pre-school aged (birth – 5 yo) up for the Imagination Station. They will send you a free book every month until your child has their fifth birthday! http://usa.imaginationlibrary.com/register_my_child.php#.U5eLkfldUxE
Crystal Paine says
Oh! Thank you so much for this reminder! We’ve never lived where they offered this program!
MaryEllen@ImperfectHomemaker says
Going to the library is one of my favorite childhood memories. I am SO sad that I can’t take my children to the library here. They have a habit of putting very inappropriate books out where children can access them, and refuse to change their policy on that. Instead we take regular trips to the thrift store where we all spend forever sifting through books, and of course mom lets the kids buy a few when it’s time to leave. But it would be nice to borrow and get them back out of the house when we’re done reading them.
Misty Nicole Overstreet-Roberts (The Lady Prefers To Save) says
If I may make a suggestion, please have your girls read the book, “They Led The Way: 14 American Women; its a scholastic book for children, and though the book is over forty years old, is still one of the most inspiring books I’ve ever read! Every little girl should read about this exceptional, inspiring American women!
Crystal Paine says
I actually read that aloud to them last year! 🙂
Tara says
You must take a field trip to the downtown Nashville library one day. It’s awesome. They have so many things for the whole family. A wonderful children’s section, a summer reading program with great incentives and awards for kids. Oh! And awesome puppet shows! These aren’t little amateur puppet show, they are full production professionals! My daughter loved them! And I Ioved that it is all FREE! There is also free parking in the garage (just get your parking ticket validated in the library). They also have well known professional authors visit on regular basis to do readings. Robin Roberts is coming this week. http://www.library.nashville.org/
Angela says
Love the downtown Nashville library and Brentwood Library. Great summer programs at both and FREE! You don’t have to be a card holder at Brentwood Library to do programs, but I believe you have to pay a fee at both if you aren’t a resident to check out materials.
Crystal Paine says
Oh, we’ll have to check those libraries out! Thanks for the recommendations!
Jenn W-M says
I have to also say that the Downtown Nashville library is really amazing and a must go to! My husband and I would get lost in there for hours on the weekends…oh how I miss the TN libraries so much! We moved many states away and sadly no longer have the access to a great library. I remember many years ago they had a ‘great cities have great libraries’ campaign or something like that.
Crystal, I love that you are in TN now. We are hoping to move back in 3 years and you are helping me cope knowing we are going to move back to family and my home, just not soon enough! Keep us these posts…I love it!
Jennifer says
What a great photo! Little dolls all of you!
Amy says
I haven’t been to the Williamson Co library since I moved away from home after college but remember being so envious every time I stopped by the Brentwood library with my sister who still lives in the area. I love my little town but it would be SO nice to have access to all those great books!
Dawn says
This picture is just so great!!
I could go on and on about the library, and our library sickness, but I won’t do it. I can still “smell” the way my childhood library smelled. The library is our second favorite place after the beach!!
Crystal Paine says
“Library sickness” = too funny!
martha says
My family loves the mobile library in San Diego. They have all the just released movies on DVD and you can keep them for 2 weeks. The librarians, two young guys, are the best we’ve ever met. They make great book recommendations and we all have a great time talking books (and movies). Its a whole family affair for us, and my husband and I love to see our kids so excited about going to the library.
Crystal Paine says
Isn’t it fun when kids are SO excited about going to the library?!?
Tina says
We absolutely LOVED that library when we lived in Franklin. You also need to check out the Brentwood Library on Concord Rd. I consider that one to be the “Cadillac” of libraries!
RuthS says
And all the librarians utter a collective “yay!”
Crystal Paine says
😉
Julie V. says
The library is my absolute favorite place! We are lucky enough to live within walking distance to ours. The kids are not out of school yet, but we have already signed up for the summer reading program. Our library has lots of activities planned for the summer- some for my six year old and a new “tween” program which is perfect for my 11 year old daughter. I was checking out what other nearby libraries have to offer this summer and I found out that the library near my husband’s work has some unusual things you can check out- fishing poles and tackle boxes, cake pans of all shapes and sizes, and puppets. We’ve never been there, but we may have to visit it this summer.
Crystal Paine says
When we lived in Kansas City, we were within walking distance of the library, too, and I LOVED it!
Jessica@RamblingsofaMommy says
We love the library! I saw you post this on Instagram yesterday, and it inspired me to try and take my kids to the library with me instead of just ordering books and picking them up after my hubby gets home from work. My kids are a little bit younger than yours(6,5,4,2,&1) and in the van on the way over there I kept telling them to make sure to be very quiet while we were there. Well, they were quiet, but I completely forgot to tell them not to just pull random books off the shelves! They had quite the pile of books ready to take home! 🙂 I think the librarians were happy to see us leave. 🙂 Thanks for sharing this! I’m loving the more personal posts you’ve been sharing!
Crystal Paine says
Going to the library can be a bit of an adventure — especially when kids are younger! 😉
Hannah says
I am absolutely loving your return to more posts about family life! I too have had the experience of being thrilled by the library in a new town!
Crystal Paine says
It’s amazing how much of a thrill a good library can bring to us frugal folks, isn’t it?!
And thanks so much for your kind encouragement!
Becky says
I see one of the books the children has is The Boxcar Children 🙂 I loved these when I was a child. I hope your children enjoy them!
Crystal Paine says
My kids LOVE them!
Sarah says
This is slightly off subject, but you have the CUTEST dress on in this picture! 🙂 Your whole family is just adorable!
Crystal Paine says
Thanks so much! And I was excited to find the dress at a great price on Amazon — I love it and it’s so comfy and versatile!
Joanne Peterson says
I was just thinking those very same thoughts about how much I like Crystal’s dress and how cute her kids are!
I love books and learning new things, and my grown kids love books. Now I am instilling this in my 3 and 4 year old. They can’t read yet, but I often find them looking at a book on their own. I try hard to drop what I am doing if they come to me asking me if I will read them a book because I want to foster how important books are for enjoyment and learning.
Cheryl says
Love it! At any given time we have at least 20+ books out for the kids, (ages 10, 11) Reading and reading to your kids is so important. My son and daughter just love to read and it we are loyal users of our library too. Your photo made me smile today.
Crystal Paine says
And your comment made me smile! Glad to read about another fellow library lover! 🙂
Victoria says
I love how mom’s stack of books is 3 times a large as the ones the children are holding. I just signed up my teens and pre-teen for the summer reading program in our area and signed myself up as well. Love the prizes. Our favorite is the free passes to the local water park during the final week.
Crystal Paine says
Just to clarify: all of those are books are kid’s books. And I’m guessing most of them will be read this week — at least at the rate they’ve been reading recently!
{I didn’t let myself get any new books because, ahem, I sort of have enough here already I need to read first! ;)}
[email protected] says
That’s awesome!!! I had the same feeling of excitement during our first visit to our new county library after we moved. Like you said, great selection AND we can check out up to 100 items compared to the six per person before!! Enjoy your new library visits! 🙂
Crystal Paine says
Isn’t it amazing how much a good library can make you feel so happy in a new town?? So glad to hear you also moved where there’s a great library, too! Yay!
Elizabeth says
We love our local library out here too. Books, DVDs/Blurays, Audiobooks and lots and lots of scheduled events. This year our library even opened a Seed Library. Folks really do need to learn to take advantage of their local library!
Crystal Paine says
The library has SO much to offer — much more than books!