NORTH PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — Lynda LaCava was 3 years old when she got her first library card.

It was then that she realized she not only had a passion for reading but also loved the overall atmosphere of libraries in general.

“Libraries are what’s right with the world,” LaCava explained, noting that the vast majority of librarians are friendly and welcoming. “There are no expectations.”

LaCava, who grew up in Iowa, moved to Rhode Island 15 years ago with her family and made it a priority to secure a brand new library card.

“Every time I’ve moved, one of my first stops has always been to find the closest library and see what it has to offer,” she said.

LaCava now works as an associate at the North Providence Union Free Library.

“My family has been coming here since we moved [to Rhode Island] and we have so many memories here,” LaCava explained. “Working here has been awesome as well because I get to be a very small part of other families’ memories here, which is just priceless.”

LaCava fondly remembered an older woman walking into the library nearly six years ago who told her she was bringing her granddaughter to a new library each week.

“I thought that was a cool idea,” LaCava recalled. “I said, ‘I’m going to file that away for someday.'”

That “someday” wound up being this year, when LaCava made it her New Year’s resolution to visit Rhode Island’s 70 public libraries.

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Though she gave herself until December, LaCava unsurprisingly crossed every single library off her list early — by Aug. 6, to be exact.

“Every week I would visit one or two, or three or five,” she said with a laugh. “I didn’t plan on finishing early, it just kind of happened that way.”

LaCava also visited two so-called “bonus libraries” on her journey: the Rhode Island State Library and the State Archives.

Though North Providence will always hold a special place in her heart, LaCava said it’s nearly impossible to pick her favorite library.

“Asking me to pick my favorite library is like asking me to pick my favorite child,” she quipped.

While each one she visited was unique in its own way, LaCava said the libraries had one thing in common.

“Every library I went to, I was greeted and smiled at [when I walked in],” LaCava said. “I just thought, ‘If I’m ever having a down day, I’m going to find a local library and just go in and that will make me feel better,’ because somebody will always be happy that I’m there.”

The Rhode Island Center for the Book was inspired by LaCava’s quest and decided to create a similar statewide challenge.

The challenge encourages others to visit at least five different libraries this summer and take a photograph at each one.

For those who are just getting started, LaCava has some suggestions.

“If you haven’t been to your local library start there, because that one is form-fitted for your community,” she explained. “Here in Rhode Island there are several libraries within a small radius wherever you live, so go try out other ones, too.”

LaCava said the vast majority of libraries offer “so much more than books.”

“There’s DVDs and music, and there’s also online content like e-books, audiobooks and e-magazines,” she explained. “In most libraries, there’s also a library of things. You can get fishing poles, sports equipment, sewing machines … anything that you might want to borrow, you can probably find it at a library.”

Those who submit their photographs to the Rhode Island Center for the Book will receive a surprise. There’s still time to participate, since the challenge officially wraps up on Sept. 1.