I graduated from college in Asheville without a job within my career. As most graduates nowadays, I found myself struggling. I worked night shifts to make ends meet, and debated whether I should just move back in with my parents until I could get a better job. The access to resources I had become so accustomed to through my college were now gone. I had no library. I hadn’t gone to a public library since I was in high school. Then, I began going to Pack Memorial Library in downtown Asheville. I had always walked past it and peered in, but I never went in. Until that moment, I saw no need. I had very little money, but the library provided me with everything I wanted. Whether I needed to research job openings, send a resume, read the latest magazines I could no longer afford, or check out a DVD to watch, I could do it all at the library. I never realized that before. The library was always a place for books to me, but Pack Memorial wasn’t. I could stop by whenever I was hanging out downtown or before I went to work. I ended up spending a lot of my time there, and saved a lot of money as a result. The information and services I got at the library helped me get my career started within six months. I never moved back in with my parents, and never felt without resources again.
North Carolina Library Advocacy 
I graduated from college in Asheville without a job within my career. As most graduates nowadays, I found myself struggling. I worked night shifts to make ends meet, and debated whether I should just move back in with my parents until I could get a better job. The access to resources I had become so accustomed to through my college were now gone. I had no library. I hadn’t gone to a public library since I was in high school. Then, I began going to Pack Memorial Library in downtown Asheville. I had always walked past it and peered in, but I never went in. Until that moment, I saw no need. I had very little money, but the library provided me with everything I wanted. Whether I needed to research job openings, send a resume, read the latest magazines I could no longer afford, or check out a DVD to watch, I could do it all at the library. I never realized that before. The library was always a place for books to me, but Pack Memorial wasn’t. I could stop by whenever I was hanging out downtown or before I went to work. I ended up spending a lot of my time there, and saved a lot of money as a result. The information and services I got at the library helped me get my career started within six months. I never moved back in with my parents, and never felt without resources again.