3 Ways to Be Kind at the Library

World Kindness Day takes place annually on November 13, but there’s no reason to limit kindness to only one day. There’s never a bad time to think of creative ways to be kind. The idea of “being kind” has a soft feeling. Sometimes it’s even characterized as a weakness. But here at the library, we believe that kindness builds and sustains community.

While we support the tiny social kindnesses like holding open doors, allowing others ahead of you in line, and being generally respectful and considerate in public spaces, we have specific recommendations for ways to be kind at the library that help strengthen our library community’s connections and improve everyone’s experience, including your own.

1. Donate your books. Book-hoarding has its own dragon-like appeal, but the kinder option is to donate your books to Secondhand Prose, giving them a new life and helping maintain your community's reading ecosystem. Many patrons like to purchase used books from the Friends of the Canton Public Library to take on vacation, eliminating any worries about losing or damaging the books.
   Bonus kindness: join the Friends of the Library to become a volunteer and donate your time.
2. Return items promptly. We don’t place many limits on the number of books you can check out and take home. However, if you have a stack of books at home with a yellow "New Book" sticker, or if you know that the books you’ve checked out have a hold list, it’s kinder to return those books promptly once you are done with them (whether you’ve read them or not: no judgment here). If you have questions about strategizing your book borrowing, talk through your situation with any librarian.
3. Try home delivery. Kindness starts at home, and giving yourself a break from one more errand can help you manage your time and energy. Our Home Delivery Service is used by patrons with a variety of needs, but you don’t need a reason to use it. While we love to see your smiling faces at the library, and browsing books in-person is a worthy pursuit, don’t hesitate to ask for home delivery when you get that notice that your hold is ready.

So while the “Be Kind – Rewind” campaign is but a distant memory, today you can continue your kindness journey with this new catchphrase: “Be Kind – Keep Your Library Community In Mind.” It’s not quite as snappy, but there’s a certain zing to it.