My library story: Erin Dreiling
This testimonial series illustrates the incredible impact libraries have in our lives and in our communities through YOUR stories. The story below was submitted Erin Dreiling, Executive Director of the Atlanta-Fulton Public Library Foundation.
“Some of my earliest memories are set inside a tiny, one-room library in Gardiner, Montana, a place that felt like magic to me as a small child. The space was modest—just a single room lined with well-worn shelves—but it held entire worlds. That little library was where I first learned that stories could transport me far beyond the Yellowstone mountains that surrounded our town.
When my family later moved to Fort Collins, Colorado, the library became an even bigger part of my life – literally and figuratively. Our Sunday ritual was a family trip to the much larger public library downtown. Walking through those wide aisles, exploring shelves that seemed to stretch forever, I felt an exhilarating sense of possibility. Each week we returned our finished books and left with fresh stacks, a rhythm that shaped my love of reading and my understanding of community. I worked my way through the science fiction and fantasy shelves as a preteen.
Those early experiences – first in a small room where every book felt like a treasure, and later in a bustling library filled with endless choices – showed me the true power of libraries. They are more than buildings; they are places of discovery, belonging, and connection. It’s no surprise that my life and career have led me back to supporting libraries today. My family and I frequent the East Atlanta and Kirkwood branches (you can read about a recent visit in this blog).
In every branch I visit now, I see a little of that Gardiner magic and Fort Collins wonder, and I’m reminded of how libraries open doors for every child—just as they once opened them for me.”