My husband and I moved to New England from Oregon five years ago, not knowing for sure where we would end up, and fortuitously landed in Shutesbury. We could not have chosen better than this forested rural hilltown we now call home.

One of the very best aspects of Shutesbury, I’ve found, is the M.N. Spear Memorial Library — an old, tiny, bathroom-less, open-7-days-a-week library.

When we lived in Oregon we had a city library financed by city taxes, but we lived outside the city limits so a library card required a yearly fee. The library was underfunded and did not belong to any inter-library association; if you wanted a book outside the library, the cost was $10 each to cover shipping.

I first met Mary Anne Antonellis, Shutesbury’s librarian, at the annual library book sale held in summer at the Common. Mary Anne was so gracious in greeting new residents, and she explained (with some embarrassment) about this town’s inadequate library space. We got our library cards and discovered we could order any book from any library in our region. Not only that, the CWMars lending program allows me to walk into most any western Massachusetts library and check out books; when I’m finished I need only return them to the Spear and know they will find their way home again.

This morning I was reading an article that mentioned a book that interested me, so I quickly logged onto my Spear account and ordered it — a mere two minutes of attention. As I did, I realized — whoa! This privilege of books at my fingertips at no extra cost to me is amazing!

When I visit my Oregon town and talk with a friend who works in the library, I learn that nothing has changed for the better (including the town’s inability to raise funds for much-needed renovations); I feel grateful that my husband and I found our way here, to New England in general but specifically to Shutesbury.

Do you know how often I crow to my family or friends still in Oregon, and sometimes here to non-Shutesburians, that our town library is open seven days a week? Do you personally know of any other library that can say that? ... I haven’t found one yet.

Do you also know how much money I have saved on books since moving here? Neither do I, but I know it’s a lot; the ability to order any book that catches my eye is a privilege I do not take for granted. I used to spend a lot of time in libraries and bookstores searching the shelves, and I used to buy a lot of books I didn’t like enough to read.

Now, with no pressure, I get to sample a book, read it or return it unread, or buy my own copy because it’s a book I want to own.

I love Shutesbury’s Spear Library, and I really love that our new library — big and bright with a working bathroom, a community room, and plenty of space and light — will be here soon. I am so excited.

Yes, in our house we respect books, we learn so much from books, and we spend hours happily engaged with books. And yes, while books are our thing, we recognize they aren’t everyone’s … but we want to say this out loud and publicly, even though it is merely one household’s humble opinion:

Books matter, as does a really good library. I thank the blessed universe and civilization overall for creating and nurturing libraries throughout the centuries.

Christi Payne and Greg Darms live in Shutesbury.

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