One of my favorite places to hang out is the public library.
Here in Charleston, South Carolina, the library on Camp Road is less than a half mile from the apartment I share with my daughter. There are many, many perks to being a U.S. citizen, but the free public library system created by Andrew Carnegie is one of the best.
When I lived and worked in St. Kitts I was dismayed that the government did not provide a free library system for the citizens. However, there was a floating library that would visit the islands a couple of times each year.
The ship would dock in the harbor with several thousand books on board that were for sale at low prices. It would remain in the harbor for several days until it sailed to another island.
I would always make sure to write stories for the paper I edited about the library ship's presence. Hundreds of island residents, many of them young people, would visit the anchored ship to make their purchases.
On one occasion, I saw three kids in their teens. They were on board the ship gazing longingly at several Harry Potter books. I told them I asked them what books they planned to buy.
One of them, a muscular 16-year-old with dreadlocks, said, "We want to buy the Harry Potter books, but we have no money." I purchased the books for them and they happily left the ship clutching their precious possessions.
The library provides another world for readers. It provides people with armchair adventures that can open their minds to new experiences, new thoughts and exotic destinations.
Many people use the library as their own private office, using the Internet to set up businesses or write stories for publication. That is one of my purposes for visiting the library.
I also use the library to improve my skills at gambling There are many online strategies for playing dice, poker, the horses, baccarat and even slot machines. Some work and some don't, but it's always fun and a challenge to pursue them.
The employees at the Charlestown Public Library on Camp Road are not only helpful, they have become my friends. I discuss books and DVDs with people like Chris and Laura. They are helpful in getting foreign sub-titled DVDs to me and I am grateful for their efforts.
Recently I borrowed a DVD from the library called Forbidden Games. It was made in France after the end of World War 2 and tells the story of a child from Paris who was orphaned by the war and who was informally adopted by a poor farmer and his family.
The movie touched me deeply. The little girl becomes friends with the farmer's son who becomes her protector. I won't give away the plot – that would spoil it for you – but I highly recommend it as an unforgettable cinematic experience.
Andrew Carnegie may have been a wealthy white entrepreneur that today's politically correct society finds reason to attack, but his gift to the American people of a free library system is one that should make all of us thankful. People around the world envy the United States for
this gift and all of us should treasure it.