We All Belong Here

by Kate Park翻译：常青

We All Belong Here

by Kate Park翻译：常青

图书馆，这应该是个很多人会选择去寻求精神寄托的地方吧。因为在图书馆里，你总能找到你想要品读的书，你可以从书中学到很多，同时也能够让自己的身心更加放松、更加平静。是啊，我们都该庆幸，庆幸图书馆能够成为你我的归属之地。

My family moved to rural northeast Texas 33 years ago this month from Little Rock注1. We were not native Texans. From the church we attended, to the1)political candidates my parents supported, we were considered outsiders by many in the tightly2)knit community. But within the first month of moving to Texas, my mom signed us up for a library card.

We lived three3)blocks from my local library, a small but friendly and4)well-stocked branch for a community of less than 3,000 people. We walked several times a week to choose new books and movies.

Like a lot of kids, I enjoyed school, but did not always ft into social groups. Later, I found my place as soon as I learned how to read. Learning to read gave me a pass to the library. And the library provided not just one place to belong, but an endless list of new places to explore and characters to meet. I also had something to talk about with my fellow classmates—books.

The librarians recognized that I loved books and reading (and that I probably needed a place to belong). In the third grade, I was selected to be a library5)assistant. The library became a place of not only information and research, but also of6)solace and inspiration.

After high school, I enrolled at the University of North Texas to study biology, but realized quickly that English classes were my favorite. After graduating with an English degree, I pursued a master’s degree in London and worked on author events. This experience confrmed for me the power of hearing authors discuss their processes, inspiration and work.

Modern libraries are changing to respond to the needs of our growing community. The library system also offers English classes, GED注2preparation; programs for children, teens, adults and senior citizens—and all for free. Libraries are one of the last7)democratic spaces in our society that remain free, open and8)accessible to all.

Everyone should have a safe place to go; a place to find information and inspiration; a place to belong. The good news is that we have that place in the library. And for that, I am truly grateful.

33年前的这个月，我们家从小石城搬到了得克萨斯州东北部的乡下。我们不是得克萨斯本土人。从我们参加的教会到我父母所支持的政治候选人，在这个彼此联系紧密的社区里，很多人都把我们当作是局外人。但在搬往得克萨斯州的第一个月里，妈妈就为我们办了张图书证。

我们家距当地的图书馆有三个街区远。对于这个居民人数不到3000的社区而言，图书馆规模虽小，却非常适合读者，且馆藏丰富。我们每周都会去上几次图书馆，在那里挑一些新书和电影。

和很多小孩一样，我喜欢上学，只是总不那么合群。不久，在学会阅读后，我很快便找到了属于自己的天地。学会阅读给了我前往图书馆的一张无形通行证。而图书馆于我已不再只是一个归属之地了，它还让我能够在书中进行无穷无尽的探索，认识到各式各样的人物。我也因此有了可以和同学们一起讨论的话题—图书。

图书管理员意识到了我热爱书籍和阅读（而且我大概也需要一个归属之地）。在读三年级时，我当上了图书馆助理。于是，图书馆不再仅仅是提供信息和研究的场所了，它也给予了我慰藉和灵感。

高中毕业后，我考入了北得克萨斯大学学习生物学，但我很快便意识到英语课程才是我的最爱。从英语专业毕业后，我便前往伦敦攻读硕士学位并参与组织作者活动这一类的工作。这段经历使我更加坚信聆听作者讨论他们的写作过程、灵感来源和作品时那其中所蕴含的力量。

现代图书馆为了适应日益增长的社会需求正在不断改进。图书馆系统还提供了英语课程和GED备考课程；还有一些为儿童、青少年、成年人和老年人准备的各类活动，这些都是免费的。图书馆是人类社会最后的民主空间之一，它仍自由、开放、面向全世界。

每个人都应该拥有一个安全的去处；一个可以查找信息及收获灵感的地方；一个归属之地。好消息是，我们在图书馆里能找到那样一个地方。为此，我真的心存感激。

1) political candidate 政治候选人

2) knit [nɪt] v. 紧密连接

3) block [blɒk] n. 街区

4) well-stocked 贮藏量多的

5) assistant [ə'sɪstənt] n. 助理

6) solace ['sɒlɪs] n. 安慰，慰藉

7) democratic [demə'krætɪk] adj. 民主的

8) accessible [ək'sesɪbl] adj. 可以出入的，可以达到的

注1：小石城（Little Rock），位于美国阿肯色州中部，是该州的首府和最大城市。

注2：即General Educational Development，（美国）普通高中同等学历证书。