“Because that’s what Hermione does, said Ron, shrugging. When in doubt, go to the library.” – Ron Weasley, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling

Don’t know how to start off on your Hero’s Journey?  At least you can know where to start it. Go to the library.  (Isn’t it interesting that we can say the library and everyone will know what you mean? We understand it to mean your local, free, public library.)

Looking for travel?  The library will have free travel guides as well as novels that take place in that country.

Starting your own business? Just follow the numbers until you get to the books labeled with the numbers 658—.

Dreaming of building a charity? The library probably has a copy of Grant Writing for Dummies or they can get it for you from another branch.  Today we’re not limited by what our small community has to offer.  Most counties offer inter-library loans.  Some libraries have loan relationships with the nearest university for deeper searches.

And these are just the amazing resources for you to find on your own, wandering up and down the rows.

Ask a librarian for help and you’ve truly found an ally and maybe even a mentor.  Along your Journey you need as much help as you can get. Did you know you can ask a librarian at our Library of Congress for research assistance?  Truly.  https://www.loc.gov/rr/askalib/

I’m a library girl.  I volunteer in the library computer room.  I donate money to the library as a Friend.

I treasure coming home with a stack of books and magazines, sorting through them to see which one to start with it.  I enjoy finding a new author just by perusing the stacks and selecting a book at random.  Once my local library had a display called “blind date with a book” where they covered the books in brown paper and wrote cryptic personal ad-like descriptions for the book.  I think it was near Valentine’s Day….  Who says librarians are stodgy!?

Every point on your Hero’s Journey needs information.  Your library may just be the easiest, fastest, cheapest way to knowledge yourself up along the way.

Photo by Jaredd Craig on Unsplash