I did a story on Chester County Libraries trying different programs to get kids to come into libraries a couple of weeks ago. I didn't really think much of it. It was a fun and easy story to write and the pictures were good.

But last week I started thinking, hmm, when was the last time you stepped foot in a library. I know in college I was supposed to, but I didn't venture much beyond the computer lab. I may have gone into the stacks a handful of times in four years but not writing a lot of research papers, it never really came up.

What makes it even odder in my mind is that I went to college in and live in Philadelphia -- home to the country's first public library. And it's 4 blocks from my apartment. How convenient -- all those books so close.

So I went to the library on Sunday. I strolled down around 1 p.m. and there was a line. It doesn't open until 1 p.m. I was surprised but waited. I thought I would just ask for a card, but it's not quite that easy. I'm not really a Philadelphia resident -- I'm subletting at the moment. But it turns out you only need a utility bill. There it was -- access to all those books.

The first thing I checked out: Will Self's "How the Dead Live." If you have any suggestions, let me know.