--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: My experience with public libraries is…" description: "\"“My experience with public libraries is that the first volume of the book I inquire for is out, unless I happen to want the second, when that is out.”\"..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a0/oliver-wendell-holmes-sr-18686_book_my-experience-with-public-libraries-is-t_286842.jpg" --- # My experience with public libraries is that the first… ![“My experience with public libraries is that the first volume of the book I inquire for is out, unless I happen to want the second, when that is out.” quote by Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a0/oliver-wendell-holmes-sr-18686_book_my-experience-with-public-libraries-is-t_286842.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a0/oliver-wendell-holmes-sr-18686_book_my-experience-with-public-libraries-is-t_286842.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a0/oliver-wendell-holmes-sr-18686_book_my-experience-with-public-libraries-is-t_286842.jpg) > ““My experience with public libraries is that the first volume of the book I inquire for is out, unless I happen to want the second, when that is out.”” [Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-sr/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Libraries often lack the exact book you need, highlighting the limits of access and the patience required in research. **In simple terms:** Books may be unavailable when you want them. Key Takeaway Plan for delays in research. Themes knowledge patience accessibility Mood frustrated thoughtful inquisitive Type informational reflective When to use this quote - academic research - personal reading - book hunting - library visits Key Concepts library science information retrieval resource scarcity Questions to Reflect On - How do you handle when a resource is unavailable? - What strategies improve access to needed information? A Different Perspective Not all libraries have comprehensive collections; digital alternatives may help. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Library](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/library/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) ## Related quotes > [“Thank you for calling the Law Firm of Sod, Murphy, and Finagle. How can we help you?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wyatt-b-pringle-jr/thank-you-for-calling-the-law-firm-of-sod-murphy-and-finagle-how-can/) Wyatt B. 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'Stop thinking', swig,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gillian-flynn/sleep-is-like-a-cat-it-only-comes-to-you-if-you-ignore-it-i-drank/) [Gillian Flynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gillian-flynn/) > [“Murphy's Law states that, "If anything will go wrong, it will". Positive side of this law is, "If anything good can happen, it definitely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiten-bhatt/murphy-s-law-states-that-if-anything-will-go-wrong-it-will-positive/) [Jiten Bhatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiten-bhatt/) > [I want that second World Series ring. 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You want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-bagley-iii/kind-of-just-knowing-what-i-do-every-single-day-and-knowing-how-hard/) [Marvin Bagley III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-bagley-iii/) > [I want you to love me and me only I don't want to be your second choice I want to be your first I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamika-leeigh/i-want-you-to-love-me-and-me-only-i-don-t-want-to-be-your-second/) [Tamika-leeigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamika-leeigh/) ## More by Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr > [No families take so little medicine as those of doctors, except those of apothecaries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes-sr/no-families-take-so-little-medicine-as-those-of-doctors-except-those/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-sr/) > [What refuge is there for the victim who is oppressed with the feeling that there are a thousand new books he ought to read,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes-sr/what-refuge-is-there-for-the-victim-who-is-oppressed-with-the-feeling/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-sr/) > [Science is the topography of ignorance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes-sr/science-is-the-topography-of-ignorance/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-sr/) > [“The great thing in this world, is not so much where we are, but in which direction we are moving.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes-sr/the-great-thing-in-this-world-is-not-so-much-where-we-are-but-in/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-sr/) > [And if I should live to be The last leaf upon the tree In the spring, Let them smile, as I do now, At…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes-sr/and-if-i-should-live-to-be-the-last-leaf-upon-the-tree-in-the-spring/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-sr/) > [“Yet in opinions look not always back,-- Your wake is nothing, mind the coming track; Leave what you've done for what you have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes-sr/yet-in-opinions-look-not-always-back-your-wake-is-nothing-mind-the/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-sr/) > [“The Last Leaf I saw him once before, As he passed by the door, And again The pavement stones resound, As he totters o'er…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes-sr/the-last-leaf-i-saw-him-once-before-as-he-passed-by-the-door-and/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-sr/) > [Me wretched! Let me curr to quercine shades! Effund your albid hausts, lactiferous maids! O, might I vole to some umbrageous clump,-- Depart,--be off,--excede,--evade,--erump!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes-sr/me-wretched-let-me-curr-to-quercine-shades-effund-your-albid-hausts/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-sr/) > [Man is born a predestined idealist, for he is born to act. To act is to affirm the worth of an end, and to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes-sr/man-is-born-a-predestined-idealist-for-he-is-born-to-act-to-act-is-to/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-sr/) > [“If the wild filly, "Progress," thou wouldst ride, Have young companions ever at thy side; But wouldst thou stride the stanch old mare, "Success,"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes-sr/if-the-wild-filly-progress-thou-wouldst-ride-have-young-companions/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-sr/) > [Youth fades; love droops; the leaves of friendship fall. A mother's secret love outlives them all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes-sr/youth-fades-love-droops-the-leaves-of-friendship-fall-a-mother-s/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-sr/) > [“Have faith and pursue the unknown end.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes-sr/have-faith-and-pursue-the-unknown-end/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-sr/) > [“A man's mind is stretched by a new idea or sensation, and never shrinks back to its former dimensions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes-sr/a-man-s-mind-is-stretched-by-a-new-idea-or-sensation-and-never/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-sr/) > [The year is getting to feel rich, for his golden fruits are ripening fast, and he has a large balance in the barns, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes-sr/the-year-is-getting-to-feel-rich-for-his-golden-fruits-are-ripening/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-sr/) > [You may have genius. The contrary is, of course, probable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes-sr/you-may-have-genius-the-contrary-is-of-course-probable/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-sr/) [Explore all 34 Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-sr/) ## More Book quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! 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I should have written more books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/i-don-t-think-i-have-made-as-much-of-my-life-as-i-should-have-i/) [Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/) > [Some books are not read in the right way because they have skipped a stage of opinion, assume a crystallization of information in society…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/some-books-are-not-read-in-the-right-way-because-they-have-skipped-a/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [“People talk about books that write themselves, and it's a lie. Books don't write themselves. 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