Field Trip to the Newly Renovated Library
Not sure if you have ever been or not, but the old library was about more than the books. It was an experience for all the senses. While Jillian has no memories of the old library, as the last time we were there, she was 3ish...Ethan does. They were excited when I mentioned going on Monday. We began our trip with a stop at Dunkin', then went over to see it.
Upon walking in, you could see that the main room was bigger. The addition is built onto the back and stretches straight out ahead of you. The circulation desk which used to be on the right, is on the left. Something immediately felt out of place to me, and I realized that it was the tall wooden book shelves were missing! They have been replaced with short, white metal shelves. Ok, so what's the big dill, right? Well, the shelves also have NO BACKS. So while you are in any given row, you can see straight through ALL THE ROWS and see everyone in the entire room through the books! It totally removes the cozy, aloneness one used to feel in between the wooden shelf lined rows of the old library. The smell was also different. I was deeply saddened.
A librarian, noticing the lost look on my face, directed us to the elevator where the BOOKS are now kept. The downstairs is all reference, magazines, computers, videos, dvds, and a young adult section. My hope was renewed as we went to the 2nd floor. Maybe that library FEEL is up there!
Not so fast. Same white, metal shelves. Whose idea was THAT? It is wrong. Half the idea of the library was feeling alone when tucked between those nice tall wooden shelves! We wandered around a bit, the kids being overwhelmed with a lack of understanding where anything was, and the fact that 100 toddlers and kids in strollers were there for some kind of story hour! I recognized a girl from Js church school class and I asked her how to use the computers (I noticed that she was quite good at looking up books). She showed me how to use the digits on my card and what the pin number was to gain access. Of course mine did not work. My card was a dinosaur card that needed to be updated. So back downstairs we headed.
Or so we thought. We stood waiting for the elevator for what seemed 10 minutes. In the mean time, a woman we were waiting with noticed my tattoo and commented on it. She asked if it was a cave art horse. I told her that it was and that I teach art. Well, guess what? SO DID SHE! We got to chatting and I thought she looked familiar...ends up I used to sub for her when she taught at OMS. If I had been thinking...I would have remembered that she started her career as DAVE'S art teacher...one of the ONLY people he has any memory of from elementary school. She is retired now...shared HER tattoo story with me...and then the elevator was fixed and our visit ended.
What a small world!
To end this story...we all got new library cards, the kids each got out a stack of books...and I had Riversend syndrome. The Claire Cook book I wanted was out...so I checked Elizabeth Berg. My memory was working SO WELL Monday that I checkout out a book that, not only have I read before, but it is ON MY SHELF AT HOME !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ugh!
Upon walking in, you could see that the main room was bigger. The addition is built onto the back and stretches straight out ahead of you. The circulation desk which used to be on the right, is on the left. Something immediately felt out of place to me, and I realized that it was the tall wooden book shelves were missing! They have been replaced with short, white metal shelves. Ok, so what's the big dill, right? Well, the shelves also have NO BACKS. So while you are in any given row, you can see straight through ALL THE ROWS and see everyone in the entire room through the books! It totally removes the cozy, aloneness one used to feel in between the wooden shelf lined rows of the old library. The smell was also different. I was deeply saddened.
A librarian, noticing the lost look on my face, directed us to the elevator where the BOOKS are now kept. The downstairs is all reference, magazines, computers, videos, dvds, and a young adult section. My hope was renewed as we went to the 2nd floor. Maybe that library FEEL is up there!
Not so fast. Same white, metal shelves. Whose idea was THAT? It is wrong. Half the idea of the library was feeling alone when tucked between those nice tall wooden shelves! We wandered around a bit, the kids being overwhelmed with a lack of understanding where anything was, and the fact that 100 toddlers and kids in strollers were there for some kind of story hour! I recognized a girl from Js church school class and I asked her how to use the computers (I noticed that she was quite good at looking up books). She showed me how to use the digits on my card and what the pin number was to gain access. Of course mine did not work. My card was a dinosaur card that needed to be updated. So back downstairs we headed.
Or so we thought. We stood waiting for the elevator for what seemed 10 minutes. In the mean time, a woman we were waiting with noticed my tattoo and commented on it. She asked if it was a cave art horse. I told her that it was and that I teach art. Well, guess what? SO DID SHE! We got to chatting and I thought she looked familiar...ends up I used to sub for her when she taught at OMS. If I had been thinking...I would have remembered that she started her career as DAVE'S art teacher...one of the ONLY people he has any memory of from elementary school. She is retired now...shared HER tattoo story with me...and then the elevator was fixed and our visit ended.
What a small world!
To end this story...we all got new library cards, the kids each got out a stack of books...and I had Riversend syndrome. The Claire Cook book I wanted was out...so I checked Elizabeth Berg. My memory was working SO WELL Monday that I checkout out a book that, not only have I read before, but it is ON MY SHELF AT HOME !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ugh!
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