For the Love of Libraries: National Library Week

This week has been the ALA's National Library Week:

I hate to say it, but I haven't been to the library in a few weeks! I have, however, been reading for my book group and a history book my Mom passed to me.

I do love libraries so much. And I definitely agree with this year's slogan: Libraries=Strong Communities. I strongly believe libraries are one of the last bastions of true community. They provide so much more than books! Sometimes I visit far-flung libraries via Internet just to see what is going on there. I love to see how libraries seek to serve its community by being more than a book-lending organization. In this post I share with you four libraries that I really love and why.

I blogged about my very first library in the post titled "For the Love of Libraries: My First Library" in 2016. It was housed in the old customs house of my hometown, and the children's section was up very cool wide black-painted stairs. I felt very important climbing those cool stairs. The building definitely had historic character with its very tall windows and big steam radiators clanking. It was wonderful. But it became tooo small. The new building the Waldoboro Public Library resides in now is bright, cheery, clean, and all on one level! Some great benefits of this library is that it allows anyone within the five-town school district to have a library card for free. It hosts a Music Together class, children's story hour, summer reading activities, and more. I'm not as familiar with what they do now since I do not go there regularly, but its a really wonderful thing for the small town I grew up in.

My library now is Skidompha. There is always something going on there. It is such a big part of providing a sense of community to the wider Damariscotta area. Often a theater group is putting on a show, or there are silent auctions set up in the lobby. They have a family ancestry research class, free movies for kids and adults, a series of talks called "Chats with Champions," an art gallery, a revolving display of quilts hanging from the second story railing in the lobby, children's writing groups, books clubs of many genres, and a super new thing--Community Read! It is so great because a book is chosen, copies are purchased and distributed, and the library organizes a variety of readings and events around the book. The library has completed its third Community Read recently. But there is so much more!

I go for the books mostly, but I also love to absorb the atmosphere of the place, where so much takes place. My son likes to check out dvds, but he used to love to check out the DK Lego Star Wars book (this link takes you to an updated version). It got so that the librarian would see us coming and go look on the shelf for it. Finally the day came when we told her he had received his own copy as a gift. I almost think she was disappointed. There is nothing like building a relationship with someone who encourages you to read as a child.

My son's favorite library

 book ages 5-9.

Another library that I visited a couple times with a friend and our young children was the Patten Free Library in Bath. They have a large children's room decorated with an animal mural by Maine artist and illustrator Dahlov Ipcar. It is a wonderful space to meet with other young friends. According to its website, Patten Free offers a large number and variety of other learning, social, and community opportunities.

Last on the list is the newest library I know of in my county--the Whitefield Public Library. I am especially excited for the town because I once lived there, and it was disappointing there was no local library. I would go to Gardiner or Hallowell's libraries just to be IN a library. I love the story of how the small farming community got started on organizing a library (it involves a child writing a letter asking for a place to go do something in the summer!), and that they are fund-raising to buy the Grange building they are renting (a win-win for both organizations). I have yet to visit it as I only recently read about it in my local paper, and it won't open for the summer until May 18. It is especially exciting to see how libraries are still relevant, wanted, needed, and supported in small towns. People understand the need for community hubs and more opportunities for reading for everyone.

Another graphic by ALA encouraging social media conversation about you and your library!