by Kate Park翻譯：常青

We All Belong Here

by Kate Park翻譯：常青

圖書(shū)館，這應(yīng)該是個(gè)很多人會(huì)選擇去尋求精神寄托的地方吧。因?yàn)樵趫D書(shū)館里，你總能找到你想要品讀的書(shū)，你可以從書(shū)中學(xué)到很多，同時(shí)也能夠讓自己的身心更加放松、更加平靜。是啊，我們都該慶幸，慶幸圖書(shū)館能夠成為你我的歸屬之地。

My family moved to rural northeast Texas 33 years ago this month from Little Rock注1. We were not native Texans. From the church we attended, to the1)political candidates my parents supported, we were considered outsiders by many in the tightly2)knit community. But within the first month of moving to Texas, my mom signed us up for a library card.

We lived three3)blocks from my local library, a small but friendly and4)well-stocked branch for a community of less than 3,000 people. We walked several times a week to choose new books and movies.

Like a lot of kids, I enjoyed school, but did not always ft into social groups. Later, I found my place as soon as I learned how to read. Learning to read gave me a pass to the library. And the library provided not just one place to belong, but an endless list of new places to explore and characters to meet. I also had something to talk about with my fellow classmates—books.

The librarians recognized that I loved books and reading (and that I probably needed a place to belong). In the third grade, I was selected to be a library5)assistant. The library became a place of not only information and research, but also of6)solace and inspiration.

After high school, I enrolled at the University of North Texas to study biology, but realized quickly that English classes were my favorite. After graduating with an English degree, I pursued a master’s degree in London and worked on author events. This experience confrmed for me the power of hearing authors discuss their processes, inspiration and work.

Modern libraries are changing to respond to the needs of our growing community. The library system also offers English classes, GED注2preparation; programs for children, teens, adults and senior citizens—and all for free. Libraries are one of the last7)democratic spaces in our society that remain free, open and8)accessible to all.

Everyone should have a safe place to go; a place to find information and inspiration; a place to belong. The good news is that we have that place in the library. And for that, I am truly grateful.

33年前的這個(gè)月，我們家從小石城搬到了得克薩斯州東北部的鄉(xiāng)下。我們不是得克薩斯本土人。從我們參加的教會(huì)到我父母所支持的政治候選人，在這個(gè)彼此聯(lián)系緊密的社區(qū)里，很多人都把我們當(dāng)作是局外人。但在搬往得克薩斯州的第一個(gè)月里，媽媽就為我們辦了張圖書(shū)證。

我們家距當(dāng)?shù)氐膱D書(shū)館有三個(gè)街區(qū)遠(yuǎn)。對(duì)于這個(gè)居民人數(shù)不到3000的社區(qū)而言，圖書(shū)館規(guī)模雖小，卻非常適合讀者，且館藏豐富。我們每周都會(huì)去上幾次圖書(shū)館，在那里挑一些新書(shū)和電影。

和很多小孩一樣，我喜歡上學(xué)，只是總不那么合群。不久，在學(xué)會(huì)閱讀后，我很快便找到了屬于自己的天地。學(xué)會(huì)閱讀給了我前往圖書(shū)館的一張無(wú)形通行證。而圖書(shū)館于我已不再只是一個(gè)歸屬之地了，它還讓我能夠在書(shū)中進(jìn)行無(wú)窮無(wú)盡的探索，認(rèn)識(shí)到各式各樣的人物。我也因此有了可以和同學(xué)們一起討論的話題—圖書(shū)。

圖書(shū)管理員意識(shí)到了我熱愛(ài)書(shū)籍和閱讀（而且我大概也需要一個(gè)歸屬之地）。在讀三年級(jí)時(shí)，我當(dāng)上了圖書(shū)館助理。于是，圖書(shū)館不再僅僅是提供信息和研究的場(chǎng)所了，它也給予了我慰藉和靈感。

高中畢業(yè)后，我考入了北得克薩斯大學(xué)學(xué)習(xí)生物學(xué)，但我很快便意識(shí)到英語(yǔ)課程才是我的最?lèi)?ài)。從英語(yǔ)專(zhuān)業(yè)畢業(yè)后，我便前往倫敦攻讀碩士學(xué)位并參與組織作者活動(dòng)這一類(lèi)的工作。這段經(jīng)歷使我更加堅(jiān)信聆聽(tīng)作者討論他們的寫(xiě)作過(guò)程、靈感來(lái)源和作品時(shí)那其中所蘊(yùn)含的力量。

現(xiàn)代圖書(shū)館為了適應(yīng)日益增長(zhǎng)的社會(huì)需求正在不斷改進(jìn)。圖書(shū)館系統(tǒng)還提供了英語(yǔ)課程和GED備考課程；還有一些為兒童、青少年、成年人和老年人準(zhǔn)備的各類(lèi)活動(dòng)，這些都是免費(fèi)的。圖書(shū)館是人類(lèi)社會(huì)最后的民主空間之一，它仍自由、開(kāi)放、面向全世界。

每個(gè)人都應(yīng)該擁有一個(gè)安全的去處；一個(gè)可以查找信息及收獲靈感的地方；一個(gè)歸屬之地。好消息是，我們?cè)趫D書(shū)館里能找到那樣一個(gè)地方。為此，我真的心存感激。

1) political candidate 政治候選人

2) knit [n?t] v. 緊密連接

3) block [bl?k] n. 街區(qū)

4) well-stocked 貯藏量多的

5) assistant [?'s?st?nt] n. 助理

6) solace ['s?l?s] n. 安慰，慰藉

7) democratic [dem?'kr?t?k] adj. 民主的

8) accessible [?k'ses?bl] adj. 可以出入的，可以達(dá)到的

注1：小石城（Little Rock），位于美國(guó)阿肯色州中部，是該州的首府和最大城市。

注2：即General Educational Development，（美國(guó)）普通高中同等學(xué)歷證書(shū)。