357. Public Library, Butterfield, MN

This small library was my second stop on a day trip. In Sleepy Eye, I met a librarian who just started there last February; the librarian here had a bit of a head start on him...she started last December! I think it would be wonderful, fun, and rather terrifying, not necessarily in that order, to come to a small town and be responsible for its library!

The first thing I noticed, before I even got inside, was two signs, for the Hours and Las Horas when the library is open. I expect that a decade or so ago, these small libraries in southern Minnesota would not have been bilingual.

Just to the right of the door, I spotted a small notebook that turned out to hold a list of memorials to the building fund; it's very nice to keep those records and keep them public. It appeared to be only names, no amounts.

Nearby, adults have a couple of easy chairs, a table for four, periodicals, and newspapers. I noticed that the library has an unusually large collection of back issues of periodicals, at least relative to the library's size; I wonder if there is a story there? (If there is, please leave a comment!) There are at least three computers available.

One wall has a collection of pictures of Butterfield landmarks, nicely framed. The librarian and I spent a few minutes identifying buildings that have changed over the years. This might be an interesting project for some of the older patrons; sit around that table and write a little interpretation for each of these pictures, while people still remember what used to be and what has changed.

A Young Adult area has s display of YA fiction with the invitation "Check it out: New books just for you." This display, plus the table, chairs, and large beanbags, indicate that teens are welcome and desired.

The children's area has junior fiction, readers, picture books, and a shelf of toys for the youngest. There is a small collection of books in Spanish and in Laos. A Little Tykes Young Explorer computer is available to the kids, too. I wanted to put in a link to this computer, but the only sites I can find are ads. If you enter "Little Tykes Computer," you can see what these are like. I see them quite often in smaller libraries.

For more about the Butterfield library, go to http://www.tdslib.org/ and use the right/left scroll arrows to find its address and hours. Or have a look at this site: http://www.co.watonwan.mn.us/index.aspx?NID=175. Even better, search for "wahtonwan county butterfield library" on Facebook and find some neat pictures.

8/14/2015, car

I drove through Butterfield on my next library collecting field trip
and took this exterior picture.