355. Wadena City Library, Wadena, MN

The Wadena City Library is taking the "Read to the Rhythm" summer reading program theme to heart with a drum set, or parts of a couple of drum sets, on display--safely out of reach on top of shelves, fortunately.

On entering the library, the children's area is to the right. There are computers, a large flat screen TV with game controllers, picture books in bins and shelves and easy readers in bins. A large tree on the wall has green tissue paper leaves representing participants in the "1000 Books Before Kindergarten" program. There is a "nest" of pillows and cushions with a book rack, and a very large, fancy dragon under a table.

The other side of the library is for adults, of course. I noticed a way of labeling fiction shelves that is new to me. First the guide letters for the shelf are listed, followed by some key names that will be found on that shelf. For example:

Fi

 

Ha

 

Fielding

 

Foster

 

< a few others>

 

Hawthorne

 



There is a browsing area, and reference shelves topped with an impressive array of community service materials. A small room in one corner is labeled "AV Booth." When I peeked in, all I noticed was a microfilm reader. I was impressed to see that ones first three pages of copies or print-outs on a given day are free, additional ones are 15 cents. This is a very generous and rare policy.

Now let's segue to my next visit. I got chatting with a young man on the staff, telling him about my project and the blog. He wondered if I had visited the library in Staples, MN, which I would pass on my way home from Wadena. I told him I was pretty sure I had; it's part of the Great River Regional Library System, and I believed that I've visited all of the GRRL branches. But I just wasn't sure, and I couldn't come up with a mental picture of it. And he said they have a new library. So...you'll have to read the next post to get the rest of the story.
 
For more about this library, visit http://www.krls.org/branches/branch_wd.html

7/21/2015, car

I saw signs for Professor Marvel's Musical Magic Show
at several Kitchigami branch libraries.