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On this continent potlatch is a uniquely American tradition found among some of the natives of the Pacific Northwest. It could be destructive placing an entire village into the poorhouse but there is something quaint in the idea of giving until it hurts.
This is the season where many of us are generous with what we give to those we know or are close to and we try to help those less fortunate with gifts of toys, food and clothing. Our local paper features articles reminding us to help our community food banks and support our toy drives. It also reminds us to remember our troops since there are some that are going to die or be maimed for life while fighting for us on foreign shores.
When my kids were growing up I always tried to give them books as a gift on holidays and birthdays. Books might not be their only gift but they were as important as toys. While we frequently went to the bookstore as a regular outing to purchase books for the home, as a gift I tried to buy those titles a little more expensive than I would normally purchase. After all, I live on a librarian’s salary, and while I do not consider books a luxury but essential to getting ahead in life, some publications are as costly as caviar especially when hardbound, oversized or heavily illustrated.
If you are looking for a good gift this year consider a book. It can be a very personal gift if it is one you have enjoyed or special if expensive but on a subject you know is dear to the reader. But it is also a gift that sends a message of what you consider valuable in life especially to kids.
And remember, a good book imparts something of you that remains a part of the reader for their lifetime. I grew up reading Davy Crockett biographies and even made my parents buy me a coonskin cap, rifle and powder horn, and when older, read his autobiography (the man was almost elected president). While I never had a desire to kill a "bar" (sic) or make an Alamo my Rubicon, I sure grew up liking the woods and still get itchy legs for a long hike every now and then.
And after this season is over when you have put your newly read treasures away in their proper homes on your bookshelves, I hope to see you in the library. For a child, a trip to the library is still as exciting as going to the park. It is also the closest thing we have to a community potlatch — well, I guess you do need to return the books after a few weeks but you can still borrow more then you can carry at one time.
Hope this season is generous and I will see you sometime next year.
Adrian Mixson
Hall County librarian, Gainesville