59c Dakota County Library System, Galaxie Library, Apple Valley, MN

This was my fourth visit to the Galaxie library, which may be a record. The first visit was in the summer of 2012 when my goal was to visit every library in the MELSA library system. (And I did, 106 of them!) The second visit was simply because I was in the neighborhood, trying out the Red Line bus route. The third...just because! This time I had a real purpose, however: the library has recently reopened after extensive renovations, and I wanted to see what had been done.

The exterior was as I remembered it. It is part of a group of municipal buildings in this large suburb of Minneapolis.

Through the lobby and along the left wall I spotted the print and copy center. I really like the dark blue walls.

AMH, or Automated Materials Handling, is often a back room, behind-the-scenes operation, which is too bad because it can be neat to watch. Geeky, perhaps, but still neat. This round window gives a great view of Galaxie's AMH, with the book drop in the wall to the right. The room was busy, so I had to take the picture at an angle to avoid people. If you get to this library, take a look at the process by which books automatically are sorted into bins; it really is fun to watch.

After the non-fiction stacks there is a wall of law books adjacent to the relocated Dakota County Law Library. The Law Librarian was out to lunch (a sign said so), but several patrons were at work in this area.

I think there are at least five of these glass-walled study rooms for one person or a small group. There might be more. The glass walls are great for sound abatement and supervision.

Yes, this is the teen seating area--how did you guess? Nearby there is a free "charging station" for all the ubiquitous electronics, and a group of about 10 computers.

I think Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was the first place I saw computer displays like this on the ends of some shelves in the stacks. Using a touch screen you can navigate the library and access the catalog. These computers are well-positioned at the point of need.

Modern libraries are unlikely to "Shush" patrons, but it is still important to provide quiet spaces for those who want and need them. Periodicals in Plexiglass organizers are nearby.

   

As I mentioned after an earlier visit, there is a World Languages area with books in Spanish, Russian. and Vietnamese, for children and adults. There is also a fairly large collection of materials for adults who are learning English.

Media is nearby, readily available but not given pride of place. Of course, that could just be the impression I got based on the direction from which approached these shelves. Perhaps I need to make a fifth visit?

There is no mistaking the fact that we have arrived at the children's area of the library. I believe that I mentioned a galaxy quilt after one of my earlier visits. Now the galaxy is represented by a large bright mural.

One wall is dedicated to this lighted peg board. The pegs are clear plastic, almost an inch in diameter, and fit readily into the back-lighted pegboard.

This picture shows just two of the interactive panels installed at a height for the youngest patrons. A family restroom is nearby. And around a corner is an enormous metallic wall. No picture, because a handful of kids were playing with a collection of magnetic gears, pictures, letters, and numbers.

I see signs like this at perhaps a third of the libraries I visit. In the past, but not on this trip, I've asked how effective the signs are. The response is generally "not very." Based on my experience, I think that some parents will always encourage their kids to tidy up, and even pitch in to help. The rest will just walk away. That's what library staff and volunteers are for, right? Of course, it just occurred to me that in the adult areas there are signs specifically asking that patrons leave books for the staff to re-shelve. Yes, there are good reasons for this, but maybe a double standard?

I like this face-front shelving that is used for picture books and easy readers. It seems to make the books appear especially appealing and accessible.

Back near the entrance and the service desk there is a large computer lab set up for training sessions. I believe I spotted two 3-D printers in the far corner.

I took this picture of a self-checkout machine just because it's different from others I've seen, and I think it looks neat.

This is something I've rarely seen but think is an excellent idea: A seating area in the lobby, outside the security gates. The restrooms are around the corner in the back. If one member of a group is still in the library, or using the restroom, or if it is necessary to wait for a ride, folks can sit in comfort.

Congratulations on a fine remodel, Galaxie!

11/26/2018

499 Hazel Mackin Library, Roberts, Wisconsin

I think my gps is angry with me, or something. Yes, it gets me to my destination. But sometimes I feel as if I've been driving a spiral course. The gps seems to think like this: "Here is a little back road that cuts a tenth of a mile off the state highway route. Let's take the short way."

But nevermind that. Here we are at my last stop for the day, the Hazel Mackin Community Library in Roberts, Wisconsin. The handsome building was built in 2010. I parked on the street on the south side of the library, because that's where my gps took me. Just a little farther and I'd have found the parking lot on the north side. No matter...the glass-walled entry is the same from either side.

I couldnt' even wait to get inside, I just had to get a picture of the curved outside wall, all glass...

...and an outside-in view of the rounded indoor seating area.

.

And in we go.

This large room serves may purposes. Here it is set up for an after-school program involving Legos. I was told (warned?) that in five or ten minutes the library would be "invaded," and it certainly was. The kids looked to be upper elementary. They started out sitting on the carpet, listening to the adult running the program. Then half of them headed for the tables and Lego bins while the rest came into the library proper to look for and check out books. If I recall correctly, this happens twice a week. The program room seems fairly soundproof, but adult patrons are advised that if they are looking for a quiet time for reading or study, they might want to avoid these program afternoons!

This old suitcase is larger than it looks. Like the roll-top desk in Osceola, it is used for displays. Can you imagine it, in an earlier life, packed for a long trip? A modern airline would want extra fees for it, for sure.

As it's name implies, the library honors Hazel Mackin, an early educator in Roberts. I have several flyers about the library, and I've looked on the website, but I can't find more to say about Ms. Mackin. I was told more, but the info didn't make it into my notes. The pictures below are of the lady herself and her original high school diploma. If someone reading this has a few more details, please put them in a comment and I'll gladly add them.

Here's an attractive corner with a fern and a fireplace, but what really caught my eye was the Hoosier cabinet that holds the coffee service. This is the first time I've seen a Hoosier cabinet in a library. [Will I ever run out of "firsts?"  I hope not and I doubt it: librarians are an endlessly creative bunch.]

This is part of the history room. It's my impression that in any community that does not have a history center, the library steps in to fill that role.

Another first: racks with Plexiglass covers to hold newspapers in place and keep them tidy. I've lifted the cover up just a bit to try and show what I mean.

Somewhere along this wall we enter the Teen area. Wherever it is, it is getting new furniture soon.

     

These tables and chairs were custom made for the children's area by a local craftsman. The splayed slats on the chair backs make them special.

Another view of the children's area, with small scattered windows and a long padded bench.

I like the signage on the walls. I thought it was done by someone with a very steady hand, but I learned that the letters are vinyl cutouts. Of course...that means that they can be relocated when the library reorganizes the collection, which every library does from time to time.

Eight computers are available for patron use.

Here is a close-up of the end of one stack, a very handsome way to acknowledge a significant gift to the library.

Before I leave, one more picture of the children's area, I believe, with a wooden tic-tac-toe game ready for players.

Did you know that there are more libraries than McDonalds in the USA? And every one of them holds surprises.

10/24/2018

498 Clear Lake Public Library, Clear Lake, Wisconsin

The third stop on my Wisconsin day trip brought me to Clear Lake, where the library shares a building with the village office and the police department. Take a good look at that large window with the curved top; it adds wonderful natural light to the library..

I tried to shield the camera from the bright sun, but didn't succeed very well. Oh well, after the clouds and rain we'd been having, it would be churlish to complain in any way about a sunny day.

These days, a library without computers would be like a library without encyclopedias back in the day. Here there are three, ready for patrons to come in and use them. I saw a couple of signs representing policies that I would have appreciated when I worked at a library. One says that the computers will be turned off five minutes before closing. The second says that DVDs cannot be checked out less than 15 minutes before closing. The reason for the DVD rule is the same as it was where I worked: Cases are displayed and discs must be added by the circulation staff, and that really eats up time.

The children's area is toward the back of the library. The wooden table and chairs are classic!

Here's a closer view. The red bookshelves hold picture books, and represent a challenge facing many small libraries. Stacking picture books five shelves high limits the browsing ability of small children, but there simply isn't space to put flip bins on the floor.

Behind the wooden storage unit to the right we find...

...a collection of construction toys, waiting for young patrons to arrive and dig in. I also saw a notice about the"1000 Books Before Kindergarten" program.

Junior non-fiction is on the shelves to the right and fiction is on the stacks at the left. The presence of Captain Underpants and Junie B. Jones on the fiction display was a puzzle until I realized (I think) that all children's fiction titles, J and YA, are intershelved. There is a white metal rack visible in the background, holding CD and book bagged sets.

Back into adult territory, this area offers periodicals in a rack, newspapers on the table, adult stacks in the background...and a handy box of tissues. Adult books are in the stacks, media are shelved along the wall. I saw a reminder I haven't seen in a long time, though it's still timely, reminding patrons to avoid leaving DVDs and books on CDs in hot vehicles.

A sofa faces the adult non-fiction stacks, very nice for looking through a half-dozen books and deciding which one/s are the ones you need.

I often say that each library I visit has something I haven't seen in a library before. And here's the example for Deer Park:

10/24/2018

497 Deer Park Library, Deer Park, Wisconsin

I almost didn't visit this library. When I got there shortly after 1 pm, a sign on the door said the library was open--but the door was locked. This brought up memories of my September road trip to southwestern Minnesota, when the third library on my itinerary really was closed, although the hours listed on the website said it would be open.

But this time was different. As I was turning to return to my car, a voice called from across the parking lot "I'll be right there!" The librarian had been doing an errand at the Community Center, and here she came to my rescue.

More than that, she gave me a very thorough tour of the library, and some interesting facts. The most intriguing: the town of Deer Park, population 216 at the last census, is the smallest municipality in Wisconsin to have a public library. Of course, it serves the surrounding area, so the population served is much larger than 216!

There has been a library in Deer Park since 1970, and the current building is 21 years old. Last year it received new paint and carpet, among other upkeep. Kudos to those who support this library!

                       

Entering the library building, there is a short corridor with the town office and restrooms on the right and a program room on the left.

The name of the town is Deer Park. Therefore, it wasn't too surprising to find that the program room  boasts nine sets of antlers (I think they are called "sheds," the ones that are lost annually) and the head of one deer that did not lose its antlers naturally.

This corner is just inside the library door. The shelves to the right hold a growing collection of Large Print books. To the left a display of Wisconsin-themed books tops a couple of shelves that hold beautifully bound classic volumes, donated by a local resident. Unlike many other libraries, here these books circulate.

Current issues of pulications are in the rack to the left. Only back issues, to the right, are circulated.

Entering the children's area we find back-to-back arm chairs and a large collection of puppets. I learned that the puppets are especially popular. Seeing the alphabetic labels on the bins of picture books reminds me that on the shelves and stacks, attractive alphabetic labels are printed, then wrapped around old VHS boxes. What a great re-use...they fit the shelves and even can help keep books upright.

The big books are in a big bin on wheels.

As is the case with many town libraries, historic material is kept here, in this glass case and in a desk to the right. There are many interesting artifacts here, including a "candlestick" telephone.

The chairs are fairly modern, but the handsome table goes back a ways. 

These days just about every library has a sofa or some easy chairs, usually near natural light, for reading or hanging out.

Many of the sturdy, handsome bookshelves were built locally and donated to the library by a local family.

There are three computers, plus one to access the catalog and one that is used to schedule public computer use. It's easier, I was told, to enforce policies for computer use when another computer takes over the job. Staff can override policies in case of real need, of course. Copying, printing, and faxing are also available.

    

In the corner of the library near the computers, a door leads out to a modest planted area. The  librarian would like to see this become something more, perhaps a rain garden. I suggest looking at blog post #477, Rosebush, Michigan, to see how they turned a similar space into a seasonal reading garden.

What to do when the bank moves to a new building and no longer needs the bank manager's roll-top desk? Donate it to the library, of course! It makes an eye-catching background for a changing display of books. And if you visit, take a look at the interesting filing system in the top right-hand drawer.

Finally, back at the entrance. Many libraries I've visited have a "tree" theme somewhere. Sometimes it dominates the library; other times, as here, it is more subtle. I like these trees!

10/24/2018