Creativity

From the log cabin on King Street, with its stuffed trumpeter swan, to the modern facility on Virginian Lane, the Teton County Library has nurtured and assisted my writing through the decades.
Teton County Librarians support, sustain, inform, assist and facilitate my creative output through my plays, screenplays, novels, poems and polemics.
The facilities have evolved, but the core conviction of support for reading and writing makes the Teton County Library the home I return to for most of my creative inspiration.

I read a lot. Two to three books a week. Year-round. Before joining TC LIBRARY, I bought a lot of them. The library allows me to read this many without the expense, but also with the chance to make mistakes. Because there are so many books at this library, I find myself trying genres that I never before considered. Instead of being just an SF reader, I tried romance, historical fiction, current fiction, economics, politics, and more. What I didn’t like could be returned quickly. And now I am enjoying a far wider range of reading.

The TC librarians and staff have made the library a community hub by bringing worthwhile resources and programs to me and my child and always assisting us with a smile. My daughter loved storytime with Debbie and Gail, has been motivated by the summer reading program, and has been delighted by special guest visitors such as Markie the Puppeteer, the origami master, and Paul the magician. I benefited from last summer’s early literacy child development class for parents and appreciate the many resources for personal development available in the library, such as exercise dvds. We never hesitate to approach a librarian for reading ideas or program information because they always seem intensely interested in helping us and getting to know us.

The Teton County Library impacted my life greatly by giving me a safe, fun and resourceful environment to go after school. I would come to the library to do my homework, find books for school, and get novels for my own entertainment. When I desperately needed a book for a school project, sometimes it wasn’t at the Middle School Library. So I came to the TC Library and got the same book there. It has been a reliable, unique and entertaining place to explore. I participated in the Teen Summer Reading Program last year and it was very exciting for me to be motivated to read so that I could win the awesome prizes at the end. Not only did it make people read FOR the prizes, but it helped people realize that reading can be fun and showed them that they should do it more often to experience different worlds. My mom works there, and coming there after school in sixth grade was very warm and welcoming because I knew I would be able to see my mom after my tough day in middle school. Being the underdog in a new, big school isn’t always easy, and seeing my mom everyday made the rest of my week seem easy. The Library constantly helped me gather information and research topics for school, be entertained, and to always be motivated to read by providing what I believe to be the wonders of the world: books, for me to use. I am extremely grateful that we have such a wonderful and resourceful library here in Jackson, and with such kind, funny and helpful librarians to talk to. The Library has made and will hopefully continue making me appreciate the gift of education, and the privilege, power and knowledge that comes from reading itself.

From the time I could ride my bike, I was riding to the library to pick up the 4 books I was allowed to take out.  Summer vacation involved a daily trip to the library.  Winter time involved weekly walks to the library.  Through friendships made and friendships broken, marriages and divorces, births and deaths, the library has always held the key to another world…a comfortable, adventurous, challenging, exotic world.  They moved from King Street to their new location and I was initially dubious….but found the same comfort, adventure and exotic locales tucked away on the shelves.  The library has been my refuge and my ticket to other worlds.
I love my library.

I moved to Jackson Hole a few days after graduating from high school to work as a housekeeper. I didn’t have a computer or cell phone, so access to the internet through the library was a crucial link to home—especially when I was feeling homesick. I would bike there after work, anxious to check my email and stay connected with friends and family.

Eight years later, and with internet access at home, I still find myself drawn to the library whenever I have spare time. There are so few places in our world where you can find silence. The library is a peaceful haven of knowledge. My two-year-old daughter loves story time (especially getting a hand stamp) and exploring the early literacy room. I relish combing the shelves of the Book Nook and checking out books, CDs, and movies. I try not to miss a Page to the Podium event, and deeply appreciate the opportunity to hear authors speak in our community.

I echo Jorge Luis Borges who said: “I have always imagined that Paradise will be a kind of library.“