The Lafourche Parish Public Library system is celebrating its 80th anniversary on December 11, 2015. From its humble beginnings, our library system has been an invaluable resource to the many citizens of Lafourche Parish. Patrons may remember various buildings in their communities used as “the Library.” Throughout the years, I remember the Thibodaux library being housed in four different buildings. As a child, the Thibodaux Library occupied what now is the Clerk of Courts Office, the ground floor of the Courthouse annex. And, this is where my story begins.
Thibodaux in the 1960’s was a very different city than it is today. And, summer vacations were different, too. My childhood friends were those who were situated in the small middle-class neighborhood of Lafaye Avenue and Oakley Street. Very few of the parents of those friends are still living and the children have moved to other areas of the city and to cities further away. Moms were all stay-at-home moms and very few of them drove. Even if they were capable of driving, the car was taken to work by our fathers. Besides swimming lessons, the one main attraction of our ordinary days was a visit from the Book Mobile. Where it came from and where it went after our stop, I’ll never know. But, I do know that the Thibodaux Book Mobile was a magical vehicle that brought entertainment to us during the hot, stifling south Louisiana afternoons when mom insisted we “rest” or take a nap.
The visits were always the same. On Book Mobile days we congregated on the front porch of the family home of P.J. and “Miss” Odile Naquin on Oakley Street. Once parked, the librarians disembarked, except for one, to have coffee with “Miss” Odile while the neighborhood children perused the shelves. On our first visit of the summer, we signed up for the Summer Reading Program. Summer Reading Programs were very different then. There were no incentives or prizes or visits from any of the Super Heroes. We read for entertainment and for the love of reading. Our mothers never accompanied us to help in our selections. Sometimes books were recommended by the librarian, sometimes by a friend. During the time we spent selecting our treasures we also enjoyed the cool, refreshing air in the air-conditioned book mobile. When the librarians returned, it was time to check-out our books and rush home with them.
Once summer was over and we returned to our school schedule, we were not forgotten by the wonderful ladies of the Thibodaux Book Mobile. Somehow, and I have never been able to figure this out, our Summer Reading Certificates were sent to our school and our particular classroom almost like “owl” mail in the Harry Potter series.
Where it came from and where it headed when it left us, we will never know. But I do know that I can thank my lifelong love of reading to these ladies who helped and encouraged us along the way.
Each branch in the Lafourche Parish Public Library system has set up a display in celebration of our 80th year. Take time this month or next to visit the displays of libraries of the past and reminisce about bygone days.