The President's Letter

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       A book is almost by definition a time capsule. When you blow the dust off a long-forgotten favorite and revisit its immortal characters and bygone cultural nuances, it has the power to resurrect many forgotten memories, whisking us back into the archives of our past.

       But, it occurred to me recently that books often are transformed into a different sort of time capsule by the people who gift them to loved ones. A time capsule that becomes even more personal and treasured.

      That particular epiphany hit me when I was in the middle of building Book Christmas Trees to help raise funds for the library. As I glanced at the opening pages of some of the books, I stumbled upon personal messages of affection and encouragement that had been carefully inked onto the books’ opening pages many decades earlier.

      Parents and grandparents. Siblings and friends. Even a favorite teacher sharing sentiments that may have rolled off the back of a younger version of ourselves, like water off a duck, but that tend to resonate more in our later years if given the opportunity to revisit them with the benefit of hindsight and life experience.

      Those simple inspirational and visionary messages often transform a book into something much more intimate and memorable than the actual words in the book itself. Some are simple. “Best wishes on your birthday.” Or, “I hope this brings you as much joy as it did me.”

      But, others are an expression of gratitude or admiration, like the one written by Julie to her mother in 1965 on the inside cover of a Greek cookbook: “Elinize Saglik! In Turkish this means ‘health to your hands.’ It is a compliment given to a person after she has prepared and served an excellent meal or special dish.”

      But, regardless of their simplicity or creativity, they are a clear reminder of moments in our past and the people who used a book as a vehicle to celebrate your life, your achievements and, in some cases, your future. They help you remember and appreciate the people who shared them with you.

 And, if that’s not a wonderful time capsule, I’m not sure what is.

--Joe David

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