I've spent whole vacations wandering through used book stores, and I was the only girl at St. Hubert's High School (and probably in Philadelphia) whose mother would push her out the door with the admonition, "Now you go to the mall and buy yourself some clothes, and don't let me dare catch you spending your day at the library!"

Mom was convinced that I'd never put down a book long enough to find a boyfriend, so it's only fitting that, when Dave and I renewed our wedding vows this spring, we held the ceremony at the Asbury Park Public Library.

If you've never been to our city library, it's time for a trip to First and Grand Avenues. Begun in 1882 with design input from Asbury Park founder James Bradley -- who also donated the library site -- the building features beautiful carved oak paneling, an imposing fireplace, curved ceilings, and a beveled-glass entryway.

Crowning it all are two magnificent stained glass windows, with somewhat unlikely themes. One is a memorial to President Ulysses S. Grant, donated by a personal friend, and the other is a Tiffany window inspired by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's ode to a Viking sea burial. (No Tillies here!)

The Tiffany window -- which is dramatically backlit by the setting sun each evening -- was designed by local artist Theodore H. Davis, whose Sixth Avenue beachfront studio was reportedly swept away in an equally dramatic Nor'easter storm. (Hopefully, Davis made out better than Balder the Beautiful, whose fiery sea burial he depicted.)

In its early days, the library's central room was used for theatrical and musical performances, and it once boasted a stage and a dressing room that now serves as a broom closet.

But the welcoming surroundings are only one reason that the library has become my favorite Asbury Park hideout. The library's close-knit and friendly staff -- including director Bob Stewart, assistants Kelly Booker, Charlene Jordan, Linda Keane, Joan Lager and Wanda Wyckoff, and maintenance supervisor and Jill-of-all-trades Patty La Sala -- obviously enjoy working together and greeting patrons.

And then, of course, there are all those enticing books -- over 100,000 different titles, with 2,000 to 3,000 new books arriving annually on topics ranging from adoption and e-commerce to Zen gardening and Hawaiian shirts. Unlike some libraries, where staff members automatically order "standard" titles from the bestseller lists, the Asbury Park library uses its patrons' tastes as a guide, consulting a patron request box for buying or borrowing books from libraries all around the world.

My first stops at every visit are always the extensive "new book" section and the ever-changing sale table, where donated books go for a quarter apiece and most magazines cost ten cents. (Tax deductible donations of books in good condition are always welcome.)

Director Bob Stewart said that the sale table grew out of the annual book sales that the library once held on the south promenade of Convention Hall. Those popular but labor-intensive events were accompanied by festive decorations and music programs, and were staged by the now-defunct Friends of the Library, whose membership (somewhat literally) died off over the years.

Other amenities include a cheerful children's room, a collection of almost 300 magazine titles, and six computers -- donated by New Jersey Natural Gas -- that allow patrons to access the Internet, send e-mail, and consult state-provided reference sites in English and Spanish. Glass display cases often feature Asbury Park themes, and an exhibit by Ocean Grove photographer Philip Eastman -- depicting Asbury Park landmarks from the 1970s and ‘80s -- runs through Thanksgiving week.

The library also houses two special book collections inspired by the city's heritage. One collection, geared towards city students, contains African-American biographies and reference books. (Other Black-themed fiction and non-fiction books, scattered throughout the library's holdings, are easily identified by an orange dot on the spine -- a convenience suggested by staff member Charlene Jordan.)

And, only a few weeks ago, Bruce Springsteen fans donated an extensive book and magazine collection documenting the singer whose first album was entitled "Greetings From Asbury Park". A special dedication reception and exhibit is planned for the beginning of December. Check an upcoming Coaster or log onto asburypark.net in the next few weeks for details.

The library is also home to the recently reorganized Asbury Park Historical Society, and both Stewart and Jordan are new Board members. A kick-off membership meeting was held there this week, and the library will be the repository for any historic print material -- maps, brochures, books, postcards -- that the society acquires.

Stewart notes that both the city and the library have done a poor job of preserving Asbury Park's printed history over the years. He and volunteer Ellis Gilliam have been trying to remedy that, and have accumulated a collection of over 2,000 different city postcards, with no end in sight. Gilliam -- a long-time resident who probably knows more about Asbury Park's history than anyone -- is also compiling notebooks of old newspaper clippings from Asbury Park's past.

The city facility, which predates the Monmouth County library system, is one of 12 independent libraries in the county. Like most city-operated facilities, it has had its up and downs over the last 119 years, but its successful survival is partly due to a lucky accident in 1960.

About that time, the Asbury Park Press did a story on the library and discovered that it was improperly operating without a board of trustees. To forestall a scandal, Press publisher Wayne D. McMurray was invited to become the new board president and -- over the course of the next 14 years -- he attracted grants, updated the building, hired a children's librarian, and inspired the Friends of the Library to new fundraising heights.

In the last quarter century, the McMurray-Bennett Foundation established by McMurray and his wife, Helen Bennett, has provided up to $20,000 each year for library upgrades including a new roof, extensive electrical work, microfilm readers, new carpeting, and a new boiler.

Over the past five years, the McMurray-Bennett money has paid for a soon-to-be-unveiled library information system that will automate everything from the card catalog to the check-out process. Much labor has been expended in transferring the paper card catalog on-line, and Stewart recently obtained a $25,000 state grant to make the library's catalog Internet accessible.

Despite the boost provided by the Foundation, additional grants, limited state funding, and my overdue book fees, the city's budget woes have adversely affected the library over the years. The staff had slowly shrunk from 13 to 8 since the late 1970s, and an additional staff member was lost in the August lay-off.

Obtaining a qualified children's librarian with a master's degree in library science to run story hours and summer reading clubs, develop arts and science programs, and interact with the schools, is top on Stewart's wish list. "That's our biggest failing," Stewart said. "When we lost that position in 1979, it was a major disservice to the community." Stewart also needs an off-site location to store older library materials, and notes that a property owner could claim a tax deduction on the donated space.

Helping him move the library into the 21st century are board of trustee members Doris Carroll (president), Shawnika Anderson, Frank D'Alessandro, Ann June, Dolores Lynch (treasurer), and Genevieve Rifici.

Want to visit the library? New hours (which take effect November 19) are Monday through Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., Thursday through Saturday from noon to 5 p.m., and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.. Call 774-4221 for more information.

And, if you're looking for a special book that's missing from the shelves, it's probably hiding in my living room closet. Or stashed under my pillow. Or sitting on my dining room table. Hey, I wonder if I qualify for that tax deduction?