Every day seems to have some “tag” associated with it now.

Well, today is no exception.

August 9 is National Book Lovers Day, and there’s no way I could resist bringing a day like that to your attention. My mom and dad filled our house with books and I read every one of them; it was not only a great adventure, but a quiet retreat from a noisy household of 11 family members, always a couple of cousins, and at least one dog and cat. We were in a book-of-the-month club and I stood by the door waiting for the mailman each month. That probably seems hard to believe in this day and age of instant everything, but I loved books and didn’t care if I had to wait.

I will use this day to make a plea to please support your local, independent bookstore. Even if they don’t have a book, ordering takes 2-3 days. The local independent bookstores I use care about the community, give back to the community, support local authors, and have wonderfully-decorated store windows — often filled with art from local schoolchildren. Staff are knowledgable and really can tell you what’s what about books you are seeking.

Today, remember to thank and support your school librarian — many of them have lost jobs or are fighting to keep them. We need them! Children need them!

And today, in honor of National Book Lovers Day, Questia, an online research tool for students, is sharing its collection of more than 5,000 free books!  Their collection of free content includes many classics and rare books.  Below are just some of their very most popular to enjoy.

• Peter Pan: The Story of Peter and Wendy: Penned by Scottish Author J.M. Barrier, the story about a boy who doesn’t grow up inspires readers of all ages.  First released in the 1900s, the legend of Peter Pan is still popular today with the character spurring multiple adaptations.
• The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is widely regarded as one of the great American novels.  The controversial book has been the subject of study from classrooms to literary critics and continues to be a valuable piece of American literature.
• The Scarlet Letter The Scarlet Letter was authored by Nathaniel Hawthorne and explores themes of sin and adultery within Puritan society.  The scarlet “A” referenced in the book has become an iconic symbol within American culture.
• Jane Eyre Written by English author Charlotte Bronte in the 19th century, the novel is considered to have been ahead of its time for its proto-feminist themes and views.  The Victorian-age story combines motifs from both gothic and romantic literature styles and has inspired many subsequent works.
• Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland Lewis Carroll’s story about a girl who is transported into a fantasy parallel universe has become a huge influence within popular culture.  Many of the characters such as the Queen of Hearts, the Cheshire Cat, and Alice herself have become cultural icons.