So apparently the Library doesn’t have a “celebratory fireworks” line item in its budget, so we’ll have to make do with these as I announce, with enormous pride and delight, that it is the Free For All’s first birthday!

That’s right, beloved patrons, today is the first anniversary of our first post.  Since then, we’ve discussed nearly 700 books, films and audiobooks in over 300 separate posts!  We’ve provided plenty of helpful hints on how to get the most from the Library’s many resources, offered plenty of tips on how to construct and stock an epic blanket fort, and, hopefully, helped to expand your reading horizons with posts on your right to read, as well as genre tours and book recommendations.  We’ve traveled to London, reported on literary awards and world events, and discovered plenty of new and innovative days to celebrate.  I don’t know about you, but we’ve certainly had a blast this past year!

The Free For All is very much a labor of love, so we owe an enormous fanfare of thanks to our contributors, here at the Main Library, particularly Kelley, who created our magnificent graphics, and our esteemed colleagues at the South and West Branches, who do such inspiring and creative work here.  And, last but never least, we owe a colossal thanks to you, our readers!  To each and every one of you who has checked out our blog, who has come into the library and commented on it, who have offered recommendations to keep our displays well-stocked–thank you!  We are here because of you, and, with any luck, we’ll be here for quite a while to come.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, it’s our paper anniversary, so I’m going to take my cake, and go find a new book to cuddle…