Let's Go To The Library!

It has rained all day to day without letting up once. Thankfully this is only sort of a constant drizzle, nothing that could drown the Finns out under their umbrellas and bright hoods. This evening the family - minus daddy - went out to the library and picked out 21 children's books. Plus two adult English ones for the au pair. Not only was the library huge, it was really well stocked with music, audio books and books. Lots of books. There were sections within sections with a selection of books in English, Russian, Swedish, French, German, Albanian and Spanish among others. What British library offers you that?
I was delighted to find Finnish versions of some of my beloved children's books, like Brambley Hedge and Elmer and Wilbur and even what must be a sequel to Princess Tarzana. Anybody else remember that delightful book? I made sure that we took a copy of Owl Babies for me to read to the children, which was a helpful English copy and another story I remember enjoying endlessly with my parents and elder sister.
The library appeared to have no limit of books we could take out and the best part was of course that. In England I know my mum said she always wanted to be a librarian just so she could stamp the books. Here, you put your card into a slot and swipe the bar codes on your book yourself, with a receipt at the end so you can check that you have them all when you want to take them back. The whole process is made even better by the loud doing! the books make when they have swiped successfully and the animated library character - a very shady and rough looking dragon in blue overalls - who you see on screen putting his card in the slot and then carrying a book to be swiped. Of course this is just so you know what to do but it makes it so much cooler for the children and brings a whole new meaning to self service.


Oh and one more thing - to quote Grandpa from Jackie Chan Adventures - when it hits 8 o'clock in the summertime in Jyväskylä, music plays from a big tower in the city with a beautiful melody on the French Horn which was written specifically for the region. Listening to that with the windows open on a cold day in the drizzle - simply amazing.