When most people think of the month of February, they think of Black History Month or Valentine’s Day. What many are not aware of is that February is also “Library Lover’s” Month.

Library Lover’s Month is a celebration of school, public, and private libraries of all types. It is a time for everyone, especially library support groups, to recognize the value of libraries and to ensure that the nation’s libraries will continue to serve.

Judy Lhamon is a librarian at Miller Memorial Central Library on Dixwell Avenue in Hamden.

“Every month is Library Lover’s month to us,” Lhamon said.

Library Lover’s Month, Lhamon said, is all about the library supporters. One organization that is showing their gratitude to the library this month is The Friends of the Hamden Library, a non-profit group that supports and promotes the library. On Feb. 15, the group of devoted volunteers provided a home-cooked lunch for the library staff. In addition, the Friends are donating $250 to the library staff association to aid a few members of the staff suffering from long-term illnesses.

Individuals can also support their local libraries, Lhamon said.

“The best thing to do to be an active supporter of our library is to one, simply use your library card. It’s very basic but important,” Lhamon said. “Two, explore the many different ways to use your library card. There are databases, references, and even practice tests like SATs and GMATs available with the use of your card. Lastly, library supporters can show their appreciation by being vocal to the people who make the decisions concerning the library’s budget.”

While showing your appreciation by visiting your library this month, be sure to check out some of these great reads recommended by librarians and students.

Lhamon recommended checking out “The Glass Castle,” a memoir by Jeanette Walls.

“The book is an incredibly engrossing, well-written story of parents that are intelligent, resourceful and also crazy,” Lhamon said. “The story impressed me about the resilience of the human spirit.”

In honor of Black History month, Lhamon also recommends the Martin Luther King Jr. biography, “At Caanan’s Edge: America in the King Years, 1965-68,” the final installation in Taylor Branch’s trilogy. The first two books in the series are “Parting the Waters” and “Pillar of Fire.”

Linda Hawkes, a librarian at Quinnipiac’s Arnold Bernhard library, recommends the historical art novel, “The Lost Painting: The Quest for a Caravaggio Masterpiece” by Jonathan Harr. She also recommends “Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell,” a story of the revival of English magic by Susanna Clarke and “A Very Private Eye: The Diaries, Letters and Notebooks of Barbara Pym” by the British author herself.

Michelle Clemente, public relations major, recommends 2003’s “The Five People You Meet in Heaven” by Mitch Albom, who is also the author of “Tuesdays with Morrie.”

“I liked how each person the man met on his trip through heaven was so different,” Clemente said. “It was cool how he impacted each of their lives in such different ways.

Lindsay Kelleher, a diagnostic imaging major, suggested that library lovers read Stephen King’s 1990 novel, “Four Past Midnight.”

Chris Parrillo, a psychology major, recommended “Haunted” by Chuck Palahniuk and “Contortionist’s Handbook” by Craig Clevenger.

Kate Agrafiotis, a biomedical pre-med major, suggested “Wicked” by Gregory Maguire and “Ender’s Game” by Orson Scott Card.

“There are No Children Here” by Alex Kotlowitz made the top of sociology major, Gaby Zini’s, recommendation list.

“I had to read it for a sociology class,” Zini said. “Even though it was kind of depressing, I enjoyed it because it was a true story that was such a wake up call.”

RECOMMENDED READS

The Five People You Meet in Heaven
By Mitch Albom

“I liked how each person the man met on his trip through heaven was so different,” she said. “It was cool how he impacted each of their lives in such different ways.”

-Michelle Clemente

The Glass Castle
By Jeanette Walls

“The book is an incredibly engrossing, well-written story of parents that are intelligent, resourceful and also crazy. The story impressed me about the resilience of the human spirit.”

– Judy Lhamon

At Canaan’s Edge:
American in the King Years, 1965-68
Taylor Branch

A good read in keeping with the spirit of Black History Month. It’s the third book in Taylor Branch’s trilogy.