209.. Traverse de Sioux Library Cooperative, Madelia Branch Library, Madelia, MN

Madelia was my fifth stop on a day that started at a conference in Sioux Falls...therefore, I may not do it justice. I hope I'm not too far off the mark.

As at St. James, J means Junior books here. One set of shelves is labeled New Reader Fiction, New Reader Non-fiction and Reader Fiction, Reader Non-fiction. I haven't seen things done quite this way before. It seems to provide good guidance to those who aren't yet ready for Junior books. The children's area has picture books also, of course, and a Little Tykes computer station set up right beside the adult computers.

There are three large windows that you can see in the picture on the library website (and below, when I get the pictures added).

A study room is just right for one or two people, and a large collection of Chilton and Motor auto repair manuals had its own wide desk-height shelf. A computer near the manuals suggests the possiblity of accessing on-line repair information, also. There is a computer designated for games, and another for Rosetta Stone language courses. Patrons must sign up to use these two computers. There are also about eight other computers for general use.

Two items I rarely see: a scanner, and a fax machine, $1.00 a page.

For more information, see http://tdslib.org/madelia-branch-library/.

9/27/2013, car