Confessions of a Librocubicularist

by

Elizabeth Creith

Hi, everybody. Welcome to Librocubicularists Anonymous. Tonight we have a new member.

Hi. My name is Elizabeth and I’m a librocubicularist.

(Chorus of voices) Hi, Elizabeth!

Hi. Oh, I guess I said that already. Sorry, I’m really nervous. This is—well, it’s the first time I’ve talked about my, my problem. I didn’t even know it had a name until I heard about this group. Um, I don’t know where to start.

That’s okay, Elizabeth, take your time.

Yeah. Okay. Well, I remember I was really young, maybe eight or nine, when I first started. Before that, my mom or dad would read me a bedtime story, and then tuck me in and turn out the lights. Us, really, because I shared a room with my sister. I always wanted another story, you know? Like one, or even two, wasn’t enough. But there was my sister, and she never wanted another one and I thought, well, okay, I’ll be fine.

Then we moved, and in the new house I had my own room and a new bookcase, all my own, with all my books in it. They only took one shelf, but that was okay, because there was lots of room for library books. I could read before I went to school and I went to the library twice a week because I could read a book every day.

I remember the first time really clearly. I’d started reading “The Little Grey Rabbit” after supper, but I hadn’t finished it. When bedtime came my mother read me Petunia Beware! but after she tucked me in and turned out the light, all I could think about was the little grey rabbit and wondering how the story would end. I couldn’t sleep. When my parents went to bed, I turned on the light and got “The Little Grey Rabbit” out and finished it. I fell asleep right away after that.

Of course my mother found out. She came in the next morning and I was asleep with the bedside light on and “The Little Grey Rabbit” on my pillow. It was a school morning, too. She was upset and made me promise never to do it again. I promised, but a week later I did it again, and this time I made sure to turn out the light and tuck the book under my pillow.

I saved up my allowance and got a flashlight and started reading under the covers. When I went to university, nobody cared if I stayed up all night in the common room reading. I almost failed two courses, and that scared me off it a bit, but when I graduated, well, I was right back at it.

So now my husband says he’s had enough. When he couldn’t sleep with the bedside light on, I got a book light, but now he says scientific research shows that even the LED in the clock can disturb your sleep. He says I have to get help, or else a separate room. I was at my wits’ end when Charlene told me about this group. I really hope I can beat this thing. Thanks.

Thanks, Elizabeth. And remember LA's motto—One night at a time.

Elizabeth Creith is a biblioholic and incurable librocubicularist. Not only does she buy, read, shelve and stack books, but she also writes them and on occasion makes them by hand. Elizabeth lives and writes in Wharncliffe, Northern Ontario, distracted occasionally by her husband, dog, and cat. The Scriptorium is where she blogs about writing and life. Contact Elizabeth.