From virtual to brick-and-mortar, she finds peace and a world of knowledge in these spots

I love libraries. From the dusty, musty but oh-so-intoxicating smell of my childhood library to virtual versions where I borrow audio and eBooks to the little free boxes that charm up any street, libraries never fail to bring a smile to my face and a glow to my heart.

I love that libraries provide sanctuary from the elements (or people), and I love the still peace in a row of books stacked neatly in a manner first envisioned by Librarian Melvil Dewey when he formulated his system in 1873. (That system was based, in part, on one used in St. Louis.) I love the purpose of libraries, the heart, the people, the expertise, the contents, the buildings…I love all of it.

When we stop learning, that’s the end of the line. Think about it: Our last learning experience could be as simple as, “Ooooh, I get it now. That’s what happens.” While I definitely prefer chosen learning paths to the accidental “oops” variety, I’ll take whatever learning I can get any day.

Libraries offer that learning element, but they also provide entertainment, discovery, escape, assistance and, of course, nostalgia. I remember my mother taking us to the library to get whatever books we wanted, even if they were from the adult section when our reading level outgrew kid books. I have sweet memories of taking my own kids to story time as tots and signing them up for their first library cards once they could write their names. I tell myself that I helped instill the love of libraries so deeply in my daughter that she’s embarked on a career as a librarian.

On a practical note, without libraries I would spend my salary on book purchases and still not be exposed to the rainbow of viewpoints on any subject. The internet is great but there’s a lot to slog through for accurate information.

I make a point to visit libraries on my travels. Did you know you can have an afternoon tea party in the Boston Public library, or that the top floor of the downtown Austin library is a shady garden oasis that overlooks the city? Locally, if you’ve never visited the former fancy bank turned fancy Kansas City Public Library Central branch — get thee there. You won’t be disappointed, even if you don’t open a single book.

Aside from the books and the educated, experienced guidance of librarians, there’s the programming. Have you looked at what your public library offers for programs? Just about everything.

And, for the most part, all you have to do is sign up and show up. This summer, my teen son and I learned all about the care and keeping of hedgehogs, a pet we had been considering for a while. We now know how to care for one, including the challenges. We know they’re nocturnal, we know what their enclosure should contain, we know what to feed them, and where and when to seek help.

What prompted all this gushing? Last week I took a cooking class at the Green Hills branch of the Mid-Continent Public Library. Cooking? In a library? Yup, in this one.

The building houses a state-of-the-art culinary center with a teaching kitchen and a commercial, licensed kitchen available for small-business start-ups. The class I attended was about foods that have tea as an ingredient: barbecue chicken, gazpacho, a quinoa salad and ice cream. I love tea but it had never even occurred to me to cook with it. That day I learned and tasted.

Libraries, I love you. From the cool swish when the doors open on a hot day to the excited anticipation of cracking open whatever material I just borrowed when I leave, every visit feels like time well spent with a loved one.

Susan is a Kansas City-based writer and podcaster, and co-host of the award winning and long-running The History Chicks podcast. She thinks you should learn about the controversial life of Melvil Dewey and his system, a case of admiring the work, but not necessarily the man.