A year ago today, my son got his first library card.

It was a proud moment for me to take him into a building we’ve become accustomed to and walk away with a card to call his own. He was pretty damn excited to use it right away.

Books are a huge deal in my household. My wife and I are avid readers and even if my children don’t become books with legs as we did, they will know the value of reading.

The library was the cornerstone for me growing up because it provided an opportunity to read, explore and discover. My parents would often drop me off at a location and let me be for an afternoon while I journeyed into the pages of magic, strategies for Monopoly and mystery adventures.

It was truly a place to wander and I was free to discover something new without an algorithm to suggest what I may like.

It cultivated curiosity.
It encouraged solitude.
It taught focus.

Before I ever graduated from any of my degree programs or high school, I first graduated from the library.

The best part is there was no set curriculum. No tests. No assignments.

And yet, I learned.