I grew up in a small town in Maine. Okay, technically, it became a city later on, but let’s not get fancy—it still had that small-town vibe. As for the library? Sure, it was a decent size, nice even, but it was old, a little stuffy, and let’s be real—I was young and thought I knew everything. Then came the rise of computers, and I was head over heels. My reading and retention skills? Above average, thank you very much. But reading for fun? That wasn’t my thing. The only thing that caught my attention back then were tech magazines. I mean, come on, back in the day, you had to stay up on what new system was about to drop, which cool app or peripheral was worth the hype, or get your hands on the latest epic 100-line free BASIC program.
The library? Pfft. Books? Who needs ‘em? I had a stack of computer magazines, a decent computer at home, and a knack for outgrowing computer books faster than a teenager outgrows their jeans. The high school library had a computer lab, but I already had a sweet setup at home, so why bother? Libraries? Nah, I’ll pass.
Fast forward a few years, and I become a dad. Now, my wife, a certified lover of all things educational and children's books, starts dragging me to the library with our daughter. Sure, it was cute and all, but bookstores with a coffee shop attached? That was my jam. I'd grab a latte, leaf through the latest car magazines or tech gossip, and feel like I was on top of the world—caffeine and tech, baby.
But then, something magical happened: Libraries evolved. They started getting... cool (and not in the way my daughter uses the word). Suddenly, they had computer labs, classes, media rooms, and all sorts of digital nomad goodies. I mean, they still had books—but now they had SO MUCH MORE.
As someone who’s trying to live that dreamy digital nomad life, I realized libraries were the secret sauce to making things work. I tried the whole coffee shop scene—don’t get me wrong, I still held onto the vision of typing away on my laptop while sipping a cappuccino like some kind of rom-com writer—but then I walked into The British Library one morning and my world changed. I did the same in Dublin, Berlin, Frankfurt... yet somehow when I was back home, I kept taking my long coffee trips to cafés.
It might not be news to you, but it was an "ah-ha" moment for me. Sometimes, I need to see and experience things in different ways for their stories (or in this case, their use) to become clear to me. Libraries, as workspaces, were something I had to discover on my own, in my own time. Sure, they’d evolved long before I realized it, but once I experienced that firsthand, it all clicked into place.
Moreover, libraries provide a sense of community that is increasingly rare in our digitally connected yet socially fragmented world.
It wasn’t until recently that I truly understood: libraries are where it’s at. I’ve been hanging out at the Hillsborough NC library over the past 60 days, and let me tell you, it’s opened up a whole new world for me. It’s not just a change of scenery—it’s like a mental reset button. There’s something about sitting in a different chair, in a place that smells like knowledge, and has no espresso machine grinding in the background. (not to mention a great trail to run on after I'm done!)
And just yesterday, I took a trip to the Durham NC public library. Let me tell you, this place is next-level awesome. I planned to spend a full day there, just soaking in the vibes and getting some serious work done. Stay tuned, because that experience deserves a post all of its own.
And here’s the thing—I’m Gen X, but I totally relate to some of the challenges younger generations face when trying to find their "third places"—those essential spaces between work and home. Like Gen Z and Millennials, I’ve come to realize that libraries provide a rare sense of community in our digitally connected yet socially fragmented world. They’re the ultimate game changer for wannabe digital nomads like me. And the best part? They didn’t even have to bribe me with coffee.