Because last Friday was a mess on my blog, Christie suggested I offer you the chance to talk about libraries or bookmobiles again in case you didn’t get in that day, or couldn’t read the blog. I know I got in late, and, hopefully read and responded to most of you before I lost my blog for most of the weekend.

So, to kick off the library recap, I thought I’d give you a few highlights of my two years as manager of the Captiva Memorial Library. It didn’t look like this when I was manager. The library is on Captiva Island, and has had some issues since I left since the community had to deal with a couple hurricanes. This is the renovated library.

I haven’t seen it in recent years. When I was there, the library was in the half of the building that’s on the left in the picture. The Captiva Civic Association’s Community Center was to the right. It truly was an island library with a beautiful collection of art books, and an active popular collection that was always overcrowded for the space. It sits next to the historic cemetery and Chapel by the Sea, with the beach just beyond. In fact, one summer, for the children’s summer reading program and a pirate theme, we buried a treasure chest on the beach. I don’t think we could do that today, taking kids to the beach.

There were so many highlights in just a couple years there. I’ll list just three.

When I became the manager, the previous manager had been working on a project for a while. I benefited. Patricia Neal’s daughter lived on Captiva. When the Academy Award-winning actress came to visit, we hosted her at the library for a birthday celebration. For those who don’t remember her, she won the Oscar for Hud. She was Roald Dahl’s ex-wife. He and a group of therapists worked with her for two years after her aneurysms and subsequent coma. She had to be taught to do everything including speak, all over again. Neal was honest, and talked about her life with him, her movies, and her affair with Gary Cooper. My first event at Captiva? Hosting a birthday party for Patricia Neal!

Jean Shepherd was the author of “A Christmas Story”. As I said, Captiva was an island library, and summers were very slow at the library, sometimes with only 8 or 10 people visiting. One day, Jean Shepherd came in, while I was the only person at the library. He pulled up a chair at the desk, and started to talk. He sat there for over an hour, and told me stories, and talked about ideas he had for other stories. I couldn’t believe it, and the entire time, I’m sitting there thinking, “Jean Shepherd is sitting across from me telling me stories!” I still find it unbelievable.

Of course, you remember Reading Rainbow. I was at the library one day when the editor of the local newspaper came in, and said she was there to take me on a boat ride. You could only get to Upper Captiva (North Captiva Island) by boat. LeVar Burton was taping an episode of Reading Rainbow on the island. She had an interview scheduled with him, and she brought me along so I could meet him.

I could tell you more stories, and I do have photos (probably in a box under a bed), but those are the highlights of my Captiva Library stories.

I don’t expect you to have those kind of library experiences (other than Lindy’s crickets story), but here’s a chance to add to any memories you wanted to share. Anything mroe about libraries or bookmobiles?