The Power of a Grandparent

This week I issued three library cards to a dad and his two daughters. This is not anything out of the ordinary. In fact, I’ve issued a lot of cards to parents and children this week. But what makes this set of cards special is the fact that this family may still not have library cards had it not been for the girls’ grandfather.

This grandfather lives out of state but was here visiting for a few weeks. He brought his granddaughters to the library. He told me he was surprised that his granddaughters didn’t have library cards and had not visited the library even though they live within walking distance of my library. The grandfather brought the girls here, introduced them to the library, and inquired what needed to be done to get cards for the girls. When he learned that a parent’s signature was required, this grandfather made a phone call and persuaded Dad (who was busy mowing grass) to come to the library right away to complete the necessary paperwork for the girls to get their own library cards (which Dad promptly did).

The grandfather later told me, “I enjoy reading, and I want to make sure all of my grandkids enjoy it, too.” What a wonderful gift this grandfather has given to his grandchildren—an influential nudge toward positive reading experiences!