One of the more disheartening occurrences in life is being at the library, eager to check out a book, only to find out it has already been loaned out to someone else. Inevitably, the mind begins to wonder. Who else was interested enough in this title to take it home for a couple weeks? Was it a man or a woman? Young or old? I know the library doesn’t give out these personal details, and with good reason. So I’ll never find out who this mystery person is. And yet, there is still an urge to reach out to them and say, “Hey, what did you think of the book? How did it make you feel? What was your favorite part? Did you just pick it up on a whim? It’s so nice to know there’s someone out there reading Rimbaud [or whomever].” So in my attempt to communicate with these strangers with great tastes, I’ve started the practice of leaving a note inside books I return. Nothing major, just a small post-it note with a couple random thoughts & musings scribbled down. So while I may not be able to speak with those who have checked the book out in the past, maybe I can still leave an impression on those who have yet to read it in the future.
(btw, this is one picture I did not take.)
