I have learned many important things from my librarian spouse, and I will now share six of them with my fellow non-librarians
Public libraries are not the perfectly silent buttoned down places of scholarship movies make them out to be. They're a place for everyone to access everything, from Minecraft to garbage romance novels to picture books. And everyone includes people who make noise. And that is okay and good actually.
They are also for buttoned down scholarship and they can help you with that. They actually really like helping you find information.
Libraries often have way, WAY more than just books. Movies, of course, but also telescopes and tools and 3D printers and board games and I heard of one that even has an apple press!
Being a librarian is pretty much never "sitting around reading books until you're needed." Maybe if you're at a niche private collection that happens? But no, not for public librarians. There is so much that has to be done every day. Sorry to everyone who thought that was a thing.
Put the books you pick up on the return carts if you don't check them out, this has some kind of positive effect on the collection. I don't know why, but do it or else
The best way to support your library is to use your library! And vote for library funding whenever you can. But mostly just use the dang library!
