333 Town of Chester Public Library, Chestertown, NY

This library shares space in a former high school with various town offices, a real estate office, and the Historical Society...and perhaps more that I didn't see.

A couple of programs caught my eye as I entered. One is a "Read 10, take one home" for the parents of preschoolers. The other was "Adopt an Author," which is like one I saw in Vermont last year; Barre, perhaps? The idea is that you buy a new book by your favorite author, read it, then donate it. It's a nice way to save the budget from at least some of the bite of paying for new books, especially best-selling fiction.

The hallway into the library was lined with life-sized self-portraits of Headstart kids, some painted and some actually dressed in real clothes. Their faces were photo enlargements, drawn or painted. It was a really cute display.

The children's area is light and large. There are several chalkboards available for creativity, one on the wall and a couple on easels. There are two computers for kids, the usual books for the school age crowd plus CDs, VHS movies, and DVDs.

Preschoolers have a train table, toys, two cute rugs / mats (a dog and a sheep, I believe), and plenty of picture books.

Near the local history area, there's a homey living room area for those who like to settle in for a bit of reading. (See picture below.) For someone not feeling that social, there is a wing chair with a reading lamp in a quiet corner. If reading isn't ones preferred activity, a jigsaw puzzle is standing by. And the whole is brightened by a wall with windows from about 3.5 feet above the floor, all the way to the ceiling. These windows look out on the high school playing fields.

Shelving for AV material and Young Adults was donated in 2008 by the Marv Cole Golf Tournament, Susan Arnold Jensen, and Friends of Chester Library.

This library is in the Adirondacks, prime vacation country, so I was pleased to learn that visitors can use the library so long as they have a local address. Nice policy.

For more about this library, visit http://www.chesterlibrary.org/ or https://www.facebook.com/pages/Town-of-Chester-Public-Library/114547858574507

5/21/2015, car

No doubt at all that this was once a high school.

A new entrance with a ramp meets accessibility requirements.

Make yourself at home here!