Homestead mailing list

[Gene GeRue <genegerue AT ruralize.com>]

> People mention books over and over -
> seems like I'm the only one who goes
> to the *library* - homesteaders, if you
> don't patronize your library system/branch,
> it will be taken away from you ...

Well, I have huge applause for Mr. Carnegie's efforts but I make no apology 
for the fact that I love books, I love owning books, I have a large 
personal library, and I plan to keep adding to it as long as I live. When I 
stop enjoying life and make my final plans, I will likely give all my books 
to a library. In the meantime, as a writer, I value being able to walk 
across the room and verify a fact. As a gardener, I value being able to 
quickly look up the answer to a pH or drainage question. As a designer I 
value being able to flip through books heavy with photos, pictures, 
drawings. As a homesteader, I value being able to weigh an idea by quickly 
reminding myself of various alternatives to any idea that pops into my 
head. Finally, libraries are wonderful, but fewer good books will be 
researched and written when authors don't have a chance to make a decent 
living. And when authors stop writing new books, libraries will become 
museums of old books full of old ideas.