…and the Central Library of Mesa County Libraries. 

It’s a large building with interesting geometrical shapes in its exoskeleton.  Outside, there’s plenty of parking, a drive through book return, cement tables and seats, a few shade trees and a desert garden. 

The lobby has a recycling container and a bench to sit on while you check out a title from the paperback spindle.

Inside, it’s a bustling place with an open floor plan.  Display cases frame the entry and a double bench sits on a multicolored tile floor before an attractive new books area that includes Spanish titles and CDs. 

A big screen TV promotes events (e.g. Tech Petting Zoo or Jazz in the 1930′s, The Glamorous 30′s and various movies relating to Rules of Civility by Amor Towles – the title for the One Book, One Mesa County series).  Portable laptop users at little tables take advantage of the wifi, there’s an extensive magazine/newspaper section and a reference librarian stands beneath the quote “Dream It, Discover it, Do It.”  

The circulating collection has Playaways, a checkout desk with friendly staff and plain language signs in nonfiction –  True Crime, Cook Books etc.   Sculptures and paintings abound and local artists can sell their work via an exhibit that changes monthly.  

These cool creations, so reminiscent of the local geology and sunsets adorn one of the two stairways that access the basement level. 

Downstairs has a spacious adult internet area with 26 computers plus 12 in the computer lab that can be used when there isn’t an EReader, Social Media, Beginning Word/Excel etc. class being offered.  In addition, there are four computers in YA, eight in Children’s and eight in the literacy lab.  

Obituaries (also in the online catalog), a magazine exchange close by a lounge area, and government documents are on this level as well.

The “learn a language” area and the literacy center are on this floor.  Their literacy program is really big with 2.25 FTE’s, 364 students and 133 tutors.  ESL accounts for 82% of the program and they offer help preparing for the citizenship test and TOEFL, but they also do basic computer skills training.  Participants’ abilities range from the most basic English to high intermediate levels and there are even some college students.  They work with local schools and school districts teaching classes for parents too.  A large literacy study area lets tutors and students work together plus there are several more private rooms available.

Literacy staffers Eusebia Garza, Karen Kllanxhja and Wendy Kirby graciously posed for a picture and Karen, the Head of Literacy Services, told me all about the program.  As the only full time staffer, she writes the grants – they’ve gotten ones from the Anschutz Family Foundation, the Colorado Department of Education and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.  The last two organizations helped with the computer lab in the literacy study room.  The program started 26 years ago, and many of the tutors are retired teachers.  They use Rosetta Stone and have a class in jail – as Karen said, “when literacy goes up recidivism goes down.” 

The photos and stories behind them in the picture are part of their Amazing Success Stories traveling exhibit which has made the rounds among western CO towns.  It’s all about their students’ accomplishments - successful businesses, great careers, higher education… - in fact, one of the students is now a tutor at the center.

Across the way the Friends of the Mesa County Libraries run a big book sale room - a very pleasant place for browsing, with soft music playing in the background and Volunteer Ruth happily answering questions. 

The eight location system has so much.  There’s “Words on Wheels” for the homebound and books by mail for rural patrons.  You can book a meeting room or reserve a librarian for personalized help.  The Rashleigh Regional History Room has local histories, city directories and gravestone inscriptions.  

The low vision area has bright lights, magnifiers, large print books and an adaptive computer with oversize blue and yellow keys (the best contrasting colors for seeing).

A cushy chair with attached arm table is just outside a spacious program room, and if you have to make a phone call, this handy booth keeps it private.

The system’s website offers downloadable eBooks, eAudiobooks, eVideo and eMusic and a good selection of research databases.  “Ask Us” lets you call, email, text or chat with a librarian or follow the library on Twitter, Facebook or via RSS feed.  The Spanish version of the site lists books, music and films in Spanish and young adults have career and college resources, a blog and book reviews.

The teen area is vibrant and funky with bean bags and people chairs, bar stools at a high table, hassocks and trendy fixtures.   There’s a YA video and audio collection as well as magazines, video games, Manga and a graphic novel display.  

The YA’s have an advisory group and can attend programs like Teen Tech Tuesdays and Teen Gaming.

The Kid’s web page also has a blog plus age group specific sections and games to teach youngsters how to be green.   Events include Bilingual Storytimes, a Junior Scientists series featuring Colorado Mesa University science professors, Family Story Night (with yoyo tricks!) and a program where fourth graders recite their own poetry.  Not that they need an incentive to visit this colorful Children’s Area…

…where Cheryl is so welcoming.  It’s got a wonderful sunken play area enclosed by frosted glass (perhaps making it less noisy?) with a two tiered cushioned bench and pillows all around.

There are numerous tapestries, and the chairs, shelving and walls are multihued – even the metal roof beams are painted a festive purple.  It’s a huge area with tons of picture books, a New Books exhibit, a Spanish section and a foreign video and language collection.   

Colorful beanbags near adult friendly seating attract all ages.  There are loads of great wall and stand alone displays with props -Fun and Sports has a soccer ball and cones.  Between the bookshelves, upholstered benches that hold books underneath are an efficient use of space.  They’ve got a big screen TV for instructional purposes – when I visited they were teaching a class on the importance of reading to babies. 

Stuffed bears are scattered around the shelves and the puppet theatre.

What a magical place to be a child. 

And what a great library – they are truly making a difference to their community!

Denver Public Library’s Schlessman branch seems designed for customer convenience.  Patrons can pick up their own holds and check out the items without staff assistance.  Nine express computers mean there’s no wait if you want to spend up to 30 minutes quickly checking email or surfing the web.  A five bin sorter frees staff time so there’s always someone available to answer questions. 

And they’re not sit and point employees.  On a recent visit, Julia and Dawn (who tells people she “likes to be bothered, so if you have any questions, please ask!” – my kind of librarian!) did their best to answer my many questions, taking me around the library to show me what I’d asked about. 

Senior Librarian (at Denver Public (DPL) this title seems to be the equivalent of a branch manager) Jenny LaPerriere was also quite welcoming and helpful - after I was done with my first spate of questions she came back to make sure I was aware of a wonderful twelve panel installation by Denver native, Stephen Batura, that I definitely would have overlooked.  High up and facing the slanted wall of windows in a sun lit reading area, The Lowry Trios are paintings based on old photos of the area.

Jenny is a bit of a legend among Colorado librarians as her facility was the first (that I’d heard of) to use the commercial concept of merchandising.  Book store style displays and popular materials libraries are becoming more commonplace, but back in early 2002 when the Schlessman Family Branch opened as a “contemporary” library, advertising was a bit of a dirty word in the field, as it was so closely associated with for-profit concerns.  At the time, I was at Douglas County Libraries, where the idea of marketing and carrying mainly hot items was so exciting it became the basis for our Lone Tree and Roxborough branches.

And Schlessman is awash with what patrons want.  With a huge A/V section chock full of hit movies, chartbusting audios,

the latest CDs in music store shelving with genre groupings (and Rockin’ Staff Picks!), there’s something for everyone.  Browsers are rewarded with bestselling books available despite gigantic holds lists. 

All this attracts users in droves.  This busy branch is in a neighborhood within walking distance for many, and the Lowry News conveniently lists all their upcoming programs.  But it’s also used by loads of non residents attracted to the choices Schlessman’s format provides.  Cars jockey for space in the parking lot and the 34 reservable adult computers were almost all occupied with many people taking advantage of the free wi-fi as well.  They also have three study rooms available on a first come first served basis, and an expansive community room that can be reserved for $10/hour when it’s not being used for storytimes or programs.

Despite all this activity and that the building’s skewed steel walls are reminiscent of a cruise ship, Schlessman is not a huge location.  They pack a lot in because they prioritize what the majority of patrons want.  There are lots of programs, storytimes and classes – in January you can hear about herbal medicine, childhood obesity, dinosaurs, party appetizers and tax planning.  Learn how to use e-materials at the Tech Petting Zoo or win a cherry pie in a Lincoln Log building contest.

So you don’t miss out on anything, a big screen TV by the entrance promotes Phone-a-story, volunteer opportunities and news as well as programs and services.

The Children’s Area has seven computers, all the books, movies and audios kids want most, and lots of booklists by age and grade and on topics like multicultural books, medal winners and 100 best loved picture books. 

There’s a display of crockery hand painted by their favorite illustrators (Eric Carle’s caterpillar is on the bottom right) and comfy armchairs for weary parents. 

The adjoining Youth Area has items for tweens and older with a large collection of manga and graphic novels as well as books on CD etc.   

And since Schlessman is just one of twenty-four locations in the Denver Public Library system, K-12 students (and others) have access to a great array of databases to help them with their homework, as well as email reference and AskColorado 24/7 virtual reference. 

In fact, DPL does a yeoman’s job satisfying the entire state’s needs.  With no physical state library collection in CO, DPL is the go-to place for all obscure materials and ILL’s an enormous amount of items to other systems.  It would be difficult if not impossible to maintain statewide 24/7 virtual reference without their contribution.  Their Western History and Genealogy department is a godsend for anyone researching their family tree and its excellent Blair-Caldwell African American Research Library is unique in the mountain west.  But the best part is that with the CO Library Card program, any CO resident can get a DPL card.    

In fact, the seven level Central Library downtown can be a bit overwhelming, which may be why this friendly and easy to use branch is so successful.

There’s a two sided fireplace - a long stone ledge next to it can accommodate numerous chilled patrons.

At the back, the Bee Hive is another program area with a large screen where presenters can show PowerPoints and featured speakers from the Colorado Author Series hold court.

In keeping with the principle of satisfying patron needs, there are food and drink vending machines by the magazines and newspapers area. 

And everywhere, materials are attractively displayed to encourage serendipitous finds.

Truly enticing, Schlessman reminds us that a lot of the best shopping is free.

What a treat!  Jeff Davis County Library is one of those nook and cranny libraries – its unusual spaces are reminiscent of Southwest Harbor’s in Maine.  The one story building is over a hundred years old and was variously, the general store, a lumber/hardware business and a grocery.  The library moved into the downtown location in 1999, but there are tons of reminders of the structure’s previous history scattered about this delightful place.

Rife with basalt cliffs and resplendent changing cottonwoods and close to scenic Davis Mountain State Park…

… Fort Davis is the highest town in Texas – at an elevation of 5050′ we felt right at home.  Known for its Old West feel and recreation opportunities, there are a number of businesses in town despite the fact there are just a few thousand residents in the county.  

Due to its pioneer style, the library appears to be small with low ceilings, but once inside it’s spacious and uncluttered, despite holding about 34,000 items including some 1,900 CDs/books on CD and 4,500 DVDs/videos.

With original wood floors, antiques along the shelf tops and a neat little balcony overlooking the ground floor, there are whimsical touches everywhere.  A mini ceramic pitcher does duty as a pencil holder by a PAC.  Children’s crafts adorn shelves, an antique refrigerator stands by the video collection and what appears to be an old phone operator’s booth sits near an adult reading area.  This display of old books is really the icebox from when there was a meat counter here.  Ice blocks weighing 300 pounds were placed at either end. 

It’s by the library office, which is adorned with a huge stained glass sun, and the circ desk where library staffer Pat Prado gave me lots of helpful information.  

Supported by the Texas Trans-Pecos Library System, it’s a Plinkit library (I used to be the project coordinator for Plinkit and I do remember adding their name to the map of libraries using this software, never realizing I’d visit one day), and the website offers databases through TexShare. 

It was close to Thanksgiving when I was there, so a turkey in the youth area celebrated the upcoming holiday while a snowman in the YA area hinted of winter.  

In the Children’s Area a clever traffic light tells kids when they are getting too rowdy and a window seat beckons.  What a great place to read and imagine.

Plants are all over the shelves, even sitting on an old pot bellied stove.  There’s so much color and creativity here.  The bathrooms have antique doorhandles and are so appealing – the High Frontier Girls painted the Reader’s Nook and this bathroom with a sparkling sun on the ceiling… 

…which must have inspired an artistic community service volunteer as he subsequently decoupaged maps from everywhere onto the second bathroom’s ceiling.

There are a number of reading areas with oriental carpets, wood tables, cushy easy chairs, love seats, hassocks and tall ficus.  This one by Youth even has two seats for varying size children. 

And one by the entrance adjoins the magazine section – handy for those who just want a comfy place to kill some time (and if you don’t finish reading, you can check the periodicals out).

Old desks, chests, chairs and globes top a ledge accessible from the balcony that runs down one side of the building.  A donated quilt hangs from the decorative ceiling which sports fans with antique sconces.   

A surprising amount of storage is allowed by the ledge, balcony (you can go up on it) and other ingeniously positioned spots which must have once held inventory when this was a commercial facility – there’s even another stock area above this charming book alcove.

There are five public internet terminals and the library also offers large print books, ESL materials and the Book Shoppe, a permanent book sale area.   

By honoring the structure’s history and being extremely inventive JDCL has fashioned a beguiling and hospitable library that’s vital to the Fort Davis community.

Hope you all have a happy and healthy 2012!

Half of the outside of the huge Rosenberg Library fits right in with the Victorian beauties of Galveston’s historic district.  Set amongst streetlamps and palms in this coastal resort about 45 minutes from Houston on the Texas gulf…

…the roomy facility reflects the opulence and elegance of the city’s heyday.  Built in the Italian Renaissance style and dedicated on patron Henry Rosenberg’s birthday in 1904, there are three floors and a mezzanine.  The decorative masonry and huge old brass handled doors outside prepare you for the richness of the high ceilinged lobby where marbled floors continue up the walls and dark wood back to back benches beckon you to sit a moment and enjoy the grandeur.   

Due to the devastation it experienced in 2008 from Hurricane Ike, the Children’s Area has been temporarily relocated next to the entrance, giving youngsters exposure to the lovely wood paneling, marble fireplace, brasses and busts of bygone days. 

Modern touches here include children’s furniture, car bucket seats, and a large selection of youth CDs, DVDs and Spanish books and book/CD combos.  A nice set of shelves holds fun oversize books, and I love the alligator holding the board books. 

They have weekly storytimes too and are a popular spot for class visits.  The website has a colorful and enticing children’s section with games, databases and a lizard hunt. 

The library size doubled in 1971 when the Moody Memorial Wing was built on lower ground with a first floor entrance.  So this wonderful hall is actually on the second floor, which includes a large, attractive permanent Friend’s book sale area…

…and a gorgeous and spacious periodicals room, with old tables and cool green shade lamps.  There’s a huge selection of magazines and newspapers on both sides of the room and a big shuttered window lets in natural light.

Since reading Isaac’s Storm, about the 1900 hurricane that took the lives of about 8000 people here (click here for the library’s virtual presentation on this storm), I’ve wanted to see Galveston and its ten mile long seawall.  Sadly, water is still the town’s nemesis, and during Ike, the first floor of the facility was inundated by flood waters.  A blue line visible through this closed off stairwell to the damaged area shows the high water mark.

With help from FEMA, grants and private funding, they have already done extensive repairs to the building’s infrastructure and exterior.  Close to the revealing stairwell, this digital before and after slideshow scrolls through photos of the damage and subsequent reconstruction.

Wisely, a nearby donation box (as well as the website) provides ample opportunity to contribute funds to the effort.  The “Rosenberg Restored” fundraiser will allow them to renovate the damaged interior.  Soon the lowest level will again house Children’s as well as Circulation, staff offices and three additional meeting rooms. 

The large Young Adult Corner and New Book area as well as media shelving and many of the 48 public computers (including two where you can upload pictures or scan in items) have their space on the mezzanine, a kind of half level created by the new wing.  YA’s can play a game at the Monopoly table, or checkout video games, manga, teen magazines and DVDs (oh and books too, of course).      

They can also get homework help on Tuesdays and Thursdays, play “Games of Chance, Games of Skill” or participate in “YA Creative Minds”, a program for budding artists that gives them the chance to have their creations scanned and posted to the Young Adult Blog.

Rosenberg is headquarters for the eight locations of the Galveston County Library System which serves over a quarter of a million people, so it’s not surprising that the Galveston and Texas History Center (GTHC) is also here (though I couldn’t take pictures due to the damaging effects light can have on old materials). 

On the stunning third floor, GTHC sells historic prints of the area and is collecting stories about Ike for its archives.  There’s a submission form at their website for those who’d like to share their experiences.  This is such a good way for archivists to collect source material that it really shouldn’t be limited to major events or catastrophes.  We may think our lives aren’t anything special, but future local history buffs and residents will be fascinated to read the words and thoughts of present day contributors.

Four of the five rentable meeting rooms are also up here including the Harris Gallery lecture space with its changing art exhibition and the glorious Fox room shown below.

The meeting rooms are a great service for the community as they provide space for sorority meetings, study clubs, book groups and poetry readings as well as hosting library events like e-books assistance classes, movie nights (Tim Burton’s Big Fish and Corpse Bride were on the calendar when I visited) and programs like Mark Twain 100 Years Later - a performance by Dave Elhert. 

There’s also a four seat computer classroom - when not taken by one of the library’s many computer classes it can be used by outside instructors or for presentations.  The adjacent Sealy Pavilion & Mary Moody Northen Plaza can also be reserved through the library for al fresco events.

The fabulous bi-level Rosenberg Library Museum is also up here.  I was a bit dazzled by all the glowing wood and crystal, so museum assistant Travis Bible helped me figure out what everything was.

With numerous physical and online galleries and displays, the place is a bit overwhelming, but the light from this window…

…and the sounds of ship’s bells, sea birds and waves drew me towards the James M. Lykes Maritime Gallery.  Here, models of sailboats, a panel on the history of Galveston’s causeways and the realia of the Galveston: Treasure Isle of the Gulf display remind you of the surrounding ocean and with the help of an interactive big screen TV you can even pilot a ship virtually on the rolling seas.

The museum also has a gift shop which sells Galveston playing cards with four different designs.  The decks give facts about the area’s history, culture and citizens, both infamous (evidently the 1920′s were a bit wild) and famous. 

And that’s not all.  They also have wifi and lots of Spanish materials for adults, including DVDs for Spanish speakers.  There’s a big large print collection, and via the website you can access Mango Languages, download books/videos, ask an email reference question or use their many reading lists.  They also offer books by mail and delivery to the homebound, hospitals and community centers.

What a remarkable library!

Oddly the four sides each have their own identical entrance (at least one is wheelchair accessible) making for a bit of an inventory nightmare as people easily miss the checkout desk.  Lovely wrought iron balconies adorn the second floor, though you can’t go out on them for safety reasons.

The facility is right on Main Street, just steps from the biergartens of this German toned town in the hill country of Texas. 

This rolling land is home to arroyos and surprising features like Enchanted Rock and in wet springs and summers is carpeted by the wildflowers seen in this foyer display…

…unfortunately, they’re in a drought, but I still caught the odd patch of pretty wildflowers in full bloom, despite it being late fall.

Inside, the four hallways, some with antique glass fronted cases filled with old books, lead to the center lobby.  Downstairs, whitewashed limestone, gray wainscoting and wood predominate, while Texas style swinging doors lead to the restrooms. 

The building started life as the Gillespie County Courthouse.  Designed by architect Alfred Giles (he won the $50 contest prize) it was completed in 1882, but a brand new courthouse was dedicated in 1939 and by 1963 this gorgeous native limestone edifice had been condemned and was home to only “bats, pigeons and the occasional drifter.”

In 1965, the visiting McDermotts of Dallas decided that preserving the structure to use for the library would be a worthy effort and after a renovation the library moved in. Everywhere the furnishings are authentic or era appropriate and it’s lit by period chandeliers and high windows with wood shutters. 

They have wifi and four public internet computers and a printer, but for me the main attractions were all the unique touches like this cool old metal donations box that looks like a book Harry Potter or Hermione would use to cast spells. 

Old ranch tools and arched windows nicely frame shelves of books.

The Children’s Area has sturdy antique toddler furniture including an easel table.  The witness stand has plenty of room to store cushions for the Monday and Wednesday storytimes underneath, and what a great place for a small child to read a story while engulfed in the arms of this enormous chair.

Double staircases lead to the adult area on the second floor (created by a second renovation in 1984), and another lobby area with Our Town.  This large tapestry employs different media to create a 3-D effect and includes many recognizable local features. 

Commissioned for the 1967 restoration it was completed over nine months by Mrs. Carletta Gydeson Broun.  View it while sitting on the original benches from the old courthouse. 

They have books on CD, tapes and DVDs and there’s even an elevator.  Old card catalogs are scattered about (and people keep using them though they are not updated.  Unfortunately they’ll need to empty them to force patrons to use the pacs.) 

Reference librarian, Maria Ramos, who has worked there for 33 years, was so friendly and informative about the history of the structure.  She pointed out many of the furnishings retained from the courthouse days… 

…as well as these wonderful old hummingbird doorknobs used as the 1967 renovation’s theme.

The upstairs was the main court and there’s even a small spiral staircase where the judge would ascend from his chamber.  It’s now roped off but makes a lovely reading alcove.

What an amazing job Pioneer ML has done conserving and celebrating the history of the town and building while creating a vibrant and modern library.

Architecture and art – Libraries have such wonderful art, architecture, furnishings and spaces.  Original stained glass or clerestory windows, soaring arches, skylights and atriums abound.  Southwest Harbor has eight of these little rooms.

Pueblo and Salt Lake City have glass elevators.  Evergreen, Nederland (and so many libraries) have cozy rooms with fireplaces while Anythink has an indoor outdoor fireplace and Dubois has a wood stove.  

These gorgeous modern structures are great, but Natick honored history when expanding by building around the preserved original library for a fascinating contrast of the old and new.

Old buildings are so charming and have unique features.  Bacon Free Library has window seats looking out to the river, a spiral staircase and an historic fence of crosses and arrows honoring the Praying Indians who started the town.  Cusco is in a magnificent building right downtown.

Barranco has a colorful adobe home with the fountains and flowers of the main plaza just outside and a café next door.  Copenhagen’s historic facade disguises a huge shopping mall style facility with wonderful displays, furniture and fixtures.

Isleford, a lobstering village, has hand painted floats decorating the shelves.  Bozeman has an artwork like lighting system, gorgeous pottery and pictures for sale in the lobby while Sheridan, Bemis and Las Vegas have art galleries and so many facilities have exhibition areas that give local talent a chance to show off their creations.

Services, programs and classes – In these days of economic hardship for so many, libraries supplement entertainment and educational needs and are often the only option for many to learn the skills they need for today’s markets. 

Pueblo attracted non users with a car show and has a business and vocational center at one branch.  Cambridgeshire Council’s Jobs Center is located right in the library.  Programs provide an opportunity to partner with other entities – Lima’s El Apocalipsis en el Nuevo Mundo exhibition is spread across several institutions.  Wyoming libraries think as a group so Sheridan and Dubois benefit from a statewide library card and a slick and funny marketing campaign.   Kalispell belongs to the Partners Resource Sharing Group which expands lending beyond the system’s limits using Greyhound for out of county courier service. 

Recurring signature events, like Douglas County Libraries Shakespeare Festival, or Orem‘s Timpanogos Storytelling Festival are such boons to the community.

We think outside the box when providing services and programs – museum passes at Bacon Free Library and Jefferson County Libraries offer patrons nontraditional opportunities.  Dover Town Library even has Pawsox minor league baseball tickets.  Little La Junta held a series of international film/food/lecture events.  Cortez did a circus workshop while Westport had a juggling program.  Anythink has a Bocce tournament.  Copenhagen, a huge lively place filled with young people, has dances and provides library service in hospitals and the prison.  They also offer free home delivery to those that qualify (and busy residents can pay to use it too).  At Christmas time in Dubois parents can drop kids off for a movie so they can finish up shopping and wrapping. 

Access to technology – Library classes and tutors prepare the unemployed for jobs that require new skills.  Fast and free internet is a huge boon these days – not everyone can afford a good computer and printer, or internet service. 

Rincon provides wi-fi for their entire downtown area and lots of places, like Fryeburg, allow visitors to use their computers.  Technology saves everyone time and money – Pueblo and Columbine’s self check and self holds pickup makes a library visit so efficient. Nederlanders can download movies at home.  Evergreen has self print and computer reservation stations.  Cusco has 26 snazzy black and red computers with matching furniture and a kiosk gives helpful information about the city to residents and tourists.  Pueblo’s see through CPU is a great way to demystify computers.   

Adults, at least, have few opportunities to try out huge touch screen computer tables like Orem and La Junta have.  Cambridge has easy to use touch screen Infopoint computers and changing big screen displays (the perfect medium to advertise new materials, events or activities these days). 

Plus all branches are completely accessible for the physically challenged and, like Moab, the main location has an assistive technology room.

Children and Young Adults – In this technological age, children and teens are probably more jaded that their parents – yet libraries are still able to delight and intrigue them. 

We create spaces that are conducive to reading and imagining like Steamboat’s teepee, Bemis’s two story castle and Pueblo’s draped nook.

La Junta’s made an enticing place for teens to hang out with bean bags facing a big screen TV, a gaming center and comics. 

And they use efficient laundry carts as mobile book bins in Kids’. 

Pets, like Dover’s bunny, are so important to childhood.  Evergreen has a doll house regularly redecorated for each new holiday and loads of helpful downloadable reading lists for kids.  At the desk, a fish tank, a tray of shells with magnifying glass, and drawing paper covering the desk distract kids so parents can ask questions without interruption.

Pueblo’s computer keyboard is perfect for enticing this technophiliac generation to learn an instrument.  Alamosa has a unique way of storing music CDs. 

A crafty Cambria staffer made a scary The-saurus dino and cool Wizard of Oz mural.   Moab has a toy kitchen where girls and boys cook.  Practical Anythink has a kitchen in Children’s as well as this wonderful tree.

And children’s librarians’ offices are so cool (my officemate was one and it made for such a magical work environment) – here’s one in Cortez.

Kathy Smargiassi from Sno-Isle Libraries in Marysville, WA writes -  “I love the variety of my job. As a children’s librarian, I do crafts, sing, and do database training. Also, I am constantly learning because when I man the reference desk I get all sorts of questions that I know nothing about, but I then research along w/ the patron. I get to be silly with the little kids, I get to be intellectually stimulated by the adults, and I get a nice excuse to read YA literature that I thoroughly enjoy. I get to talk books w/ people of all ages who are also passionate about reading.”

Community involvement – Libraries are often the lifeblood of the community.  They respond to our needs.  They bring us together with opportunities to express ideas and learn in an unbiased setting.  They are a presence – a selling point for realtors, a huge convenience and money saver, a tool we can’t do without, the preservers and educators of our culture. 

Angela Watkins from Ludlow Library, Shropshire, UK writes - “My favourite library you reviewed was The Islesford Public Library, I have enjoyed your reviews of much larger, urban libraries with many innovative ideas. However Islesford is the one that sticks in my mind, it is a crystalised example of what libraries are all about, which is to be the hub of a community, full of personality and most importantly, a lifeline. Just think what life would be like there without the library! Even in the largest communities there will be many many people for whom the library is a lifeline and Iselford embodies this in its purest form.”

We play a big role in integrating new populations into the community with events like Dover’s Chinese New Year celebration and Chinese language storytimes.  Golden holds sessions where native Spanish and English speakers can practice with each other.   In heavily Latino Pueblo, they have Nuestra Biblioteca – a library with Hispanic events and materials.  Westport helps their native language stay alive with Irish books and offers Polish items in response to a large immigrant community.  International Copenhagen has substantial collections in a plethora of tongues.

Area groups use Las Vegas’ mirrored Jewel Box Theater as a performance venue while Lima hosts professional performances like The Wiz in their amphitheatre.  Locals gather at library cafes in Steamboat, Copenhagen, Cambridge and Venezuela – more evidence that these are not your grandparent’s libraries.  Bozeman’s even has books. 

We help local business save and earn revenue, with free databases, seminars, classes, and opportunities for them.  Southwest Harbor has locally made jewelry for sale (and gets some of the proceeds).  Libraries, like Columbine, let small businesses and groups use their meeting rooms for free or cheap.  Nederland’s meeting room can even be used when the library is closed.  A moveable wall allows an Anythink room to be used by two entities at once. 

And we go where we are needed – Tigre has a branch in the train station. 

Surprising features – Libraries have some of the coolest stuff and unexpected policies. 

Traverse City has an outdoor pizza oven.  Palm Springs has a pretty water feature right by the chess tables.  Pueblo has the Info Zone news museum and a big screen theatre, while Sheridan has an Inner Circle performance area.  Big screen digital slide shows make for ever changing displays like the one of a Friend’s photographs at Natick.  Southwest Harbor uses the same method to showcase their historical photo collection.  Cambridge partners with the British Film Institute to bring visitors the amazing Mediatheque personal theatre – a huge collection of hard to get visual materials.

Rincon uses rolling shelves to maximize space and they have no late fees.  Conveniently, La Junta and Douglas County Libraries give away ten free copies of anything that can’t be checked out (which keeps items from walking).  Cortez has a poetry corner with poem-trees, baskets of verse, poem-mobiles, books etc.

You’d think pianos and instruments wouldn’t have a place in a library, but with sound proof rooms like Glasgow has, music, YA and kid’s programs disturb no one.  For the undecided, Copenhagen has a whole room full of instruments to try out. 

But one of the coolest things about libraries is when they can really be independent from the whims of local officials.  Districts ensure that you don’t have to waste time fighting for funds – and even a tiny town like Nederland can form one. 

Collections – The amount of material available because of libraries is astonishing and delightful. You can learn so much about an area. 

In Lewes’ I found out that two German U-boats were captured offshore – I had no idea the war had come so close to the east coast of the US.   Digitizing old films and audio recordings in Lima means the public will be able to access them online as does Costa Rica‘s historic materials preservation effort.  Spanish collections are now common, even tiny Cambria library manages to have a multimedia one - but the library remembered below was certainly ahead of its time. 

Of the 1888-1967 Jackson Square Branch of The New York Public Library  (search “Jackson Square”) in Greenwich Village which was used heavily by artists, actors and authors and in the 1940s (!) built up its Spanish language collection in response to the immigrant community, Carol Johnson writes – “I used this library as a child. The first floor was the adult library; the second, the children’s. But the third floor was home to the janitor, and my favorite daydream was to be his daughter and live in a library. Just think, at night I could wander among the books and read to my heart’s content!” 
  
And libraries let you add to your own collection – Dubois has a paperback exchange and many places have permanent book sale areas like this huge one at Bemis.

We certainly have some neat things we lend out, Pueblo not only has a puppet theatre, they also loan the figures out.   Southwest Harbor residents can borrow Kindles. 

And we’re using marketing well by creating attractive browsable displays.  Dover and Kalispell both store CDs in user friendly music store style racks with genre groupings.  Anythink has bookstore style shelving. 

Green Libraries – Libraries often lead the way for communities when it comes to environmentalism, both as examples and as educators.  They are green by their very nature – think of how much paper and plastic you save by borrowing instead of buying books, CDs, DVDs etc. 

Naturita, the second library in the US to use green straw bale construction, runs on money-saving geothermal energy and is insulated by recycled blue jeans.  They have a teaching display – a glassed over 14″ thick wall section showing layers of straw, mudded straw, local adobe soil scratch coat etc. – like Nederland (another green library – it’s got low-flow plumbing fixtures and is made of local beetle-kill pine laminates, recycled flooring and steel).

Salt Lake has a roof garden with trees!  St. George, Palm Springs, La Junta and Anythink are just a few of the places where low water xeriscape gardens provide color and teach locals how wasteful green lawns are.  Alamosa and many others are helping consumers conserve by checking out home energy meters. Sheridan’s grounds hold the town recycling bins.

William Langham, Orangeburg (NY) Public Library Director writes - ”We have a patron who brings us the most gorgeous dahlias from her garden each fall – we feel quite blissful to be so honored.”

Settings  – So many libraries are downtown, and/or close to parks or destination locations like recreation areas, shopping etc.  

St. George is next to a lovely area with fountains where happy children slide around the cement streams.  Traverse City is in a park right by the lake but its own grounds include plots where children’s groups grow produce as well as lush gardens.

Fryeburg is downtown next to a pretty old graveyard.  The Bozeman Library is the gateway for the Main Street to the Mountains Trail.  Salt Lake City has the most amazing walkway from the roof of its six stories down to the plaza below – what a place to watch the sun set over the Rocky Mountains. 

Steamboat is on a walking path in a park right by the hot springs and river.  Golden is adjacent to Clear Creek where kayakers practice their moves as tourists and town folk stroll the sculptured lined path.  Cortez is smack dab in the middle of a large park with an enormous climbing tree – a stack of books gives a leg up.

I love Glasgow’s outdoor patio and Boca and Lewes’ shady al fresco reading areas.  Costa Rica’s national library is across from a large shady plaza with splashing fountains while tiny Tilaran is in the municipal complex steps from the main plaza.  Cambridge is actually in a huge downtown shopping complex.   Westport’s location is bucolic, close to the town center and right by the river and walking paths.

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Libraries have well rounded and well used collections, helpful classes and interesting programs.  They are dedicated to the preservation of local history and provide easy access to so much material.  They share ideas and costs with other libraries and are a presence at local events.  But I think my favorite thing about libraries, in this faceless age of online shopping and endless phone trees, is the great customer service and smiling, welcoming faces you find in them.

So tell us  - what do you love about libraries?  What are some of your favorite things?

Though I usually write about public libraries, I think the Biblioteca Nacional del Perú (BNP) can qualify as the public is allowed to use it (they can’t check out items-but this seems to be common practice for libraries in Peru, though the Miraflores library and some Lima libraries may be exceptions). 

For reasons I’ll get into later, this is a high security location, so entering without a library card (residents pay 8 soles/year (about $2), researchers pay 40 soles and children 2.5 soles) through the guard post was a bit difficult until I explained that I was a bibliotecario (librarian) and they sent me to their administrative offices.  Luckily some staff there spoke English so I was able to explain the reason for my visit.

We were introduced to Jorge Mateo Acuña, who gave an extremely helpful and informative tour of the building.

The library was opened in 1821 (one month after the Peruvian independence), but moved from its central Lima location to a huge new building on Avenida de la Poesia (Poetry Ave.) in 2006.

At 20,000 square meters, it’s quite impressive with a soaring lobby, glass elevators and four floors. 

There’s a theater, shops and a cafeteria as well as a newspaper library…

…lecture halls and a 700 seat outdoor amphitheatre.  

The 533 seat auditorium has public theatrical performances such as El Mago (The Wiz) and a film forum (I saw ads for Slumdog Millionaire).   They also work with other institutions to put on events and exhibits such as El Apocalipsis en el Nuevo Mundo (Revelation in the New World: art, prophecy and messianism in Latin America (XVI-XVIII century).

Though there are no public computers, they have wi-fi, so people can access their online catalog. 

I asked Senor Mateo about the other public libraries in Lima and he told me that there are branches around Lima, especially in the poorer districts. 

The Public Library of Lima, which occupies the historical building where the BNP was previously located, has a children’s room as well as art and science titles and they do storytimes every weekend.  

What a beautiful old building-I’m so sorry I didn’t get to see it!

Senor Mateo also said that every district has a local library.

Librarians retrieve the books for you, and the collection is housed in a variety of locations.  Specific areas are set aside for ancient books and maps, special materials, microfilm etc.  The room below houses more than 5000 historical photographs from the early 1900′s.

They have a lot of audiovisual material including DVDs and videos and are digitizing old films and audio recordings so eventually the public will be able to access them.

Because Peru has had a number of high profile antiquities robberies facilitated by people taking pictures of the locations of security cameras and valuable items, I couldn’t take photos of most of the areas we visited on our tour.  The library itself was a victim, and when they realized that a number of items appeared to be missing, they closed and did an inventory.  Over 1500 very valuable books had been stolen or lost over thirty years, so they started a campaign to get the titles back (“your reward will be the gratitude of your countrymen”). 

The publicity appears to be working – recently, seven of the missing books were left at a church and the Archbishop of Lima himself returned them to the BNP.  And they seem to have very good security now, in fact they have video footage of a security guard stealing a very important book worth about $3000.

Despite my hotel’s best efforts, we weren’t able to confirm that any other Lima public libraries were open on the Wednesday I was available, but I did get a chance to see the outside of the lovely Biblioteca Municipal de Barranco in another Lima neighborhood. 

It’s being renovated, so I couldn’t go inside, but what a beautiful building.  It’s perfectly located amidst fountains and foliage in the charming town plaza.  There’s an adjacent restaurant, and someone at the tourist bureau told me that a lot of students visit the library to read books and magazines.  She also mentioned that they have storytimes for children.

So please, give me some input, what do you love about your job?  What’s so great about your local library or your place of work?  What about other libraries you’ve visited or read about in this blog and elsewhere?  Just email me at jsshaffner@hotmail.com  We all want to hear your thoughts about what makes public libraries such a great resource.

La Boca is certainly the most colorful of all of Buenos Aires’ barrios.  Fiercely independent, residents of the area seceded in 1882 and formed La Republica Independiente de la Boca.  Though the president himself immediately quashed any notions of autonomy, Boca obviously retains a symbolic attachment to this idea.  Vibrant murals proclaim that you are in the Republic of Boca while the multihued buildings and effervescent riverfront atmosphere hint of its strong Genoese roots.

Though I missed the opportunity to visit a larger location of the 26 Buenos Aires Ciudad Bibliotecas, I did get a chance to stop by La Boca’s Biblioteca Publico Joaquin Victor González.

Just inside, there’s a display of children’s artwork from various groups thanking the library for their visits. 

Library staffer, Graciela Ibarra and her coworker were incredibly welcoming.  My husband and I had a lovely chat with them despite our halting Spanish.

Graciela was quite informative about the library and the area.  She was excited when she found out where we live, as Dean Reed, a wonderful singer and activist who was very popular in Argentina, was also from Colorado.  (I’d never heard of him and was very impressed by his accomplishments.)   She even let us hear her lovely, lilting voice as she sung one of his tunes.

The library has a number of Eyewitness style titles with lots of pictures on a variety of subjects for school children as well as novelas and other items for them. 

For secondary school students and adults there are magazines, a reference section and many titles on engineering, filosofia, historia, psicologia, geografia, farmacia, … and of course, musica and Tango (our experience of Argentina seemed to be a nonstop festival of music and dance).

There’s also a suggestion box and a pretty outdoor area for reading on nice days.

All of the 26 public libraries in the system are free.  Seven of the locations have children’s annexes and there are two children’s libraries.  One library has a bilingual area and there’s a women’s library, a poetry library and one dedicated to the modern narrative.  The system’s website also mentions La Biblioteca Tesoro Circe with 5,600 historical volumes from the past four centuries, as well as photos, maps, letters and old documents. 

Porteños can choose from a number of library events.  There are five weekly Clubes de Lectura (reading clubs) and El coro Trilce, which if I’m interpreting correctly, is an actual choir, affiliated with (perhaps the music section of?) the library.  The Fundación Tomás Eloy Martínez holds an annual literary competition to encourage young authors. La Casa de la Lectura also promotes writing and literature and has visiting writers. Their events include poetry readings, book presentations, literary films, open mic nights etc.

Though the public computers at the Boca location were removed, there is still a computer in the office…

…so you can use the branch’s card catalog, or staff can look up materials in the citywide computerized catalog for you and place a hold.   Residents can access the system from home and request items be sent to the Boca branch for them to pick up.  Materials can be checked out for two weeks and renewed if necessary.

What a pleasant place to visit!

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Just a small footnote on Argentinian libraries.  In the train station in nearby Tigre, the main town in the Venice-like Paraná Delta, I encountered a combination tourist office/library branch.  There’s a much bigger library in the town, but how ingenious to have a small location at the train station so people can borrow a book to read before setting off on a long journey.