480 Cheney Library, Hoosick Falls, New York

I have a tenuous connection to Hoosick Falls, though I had never been here before: My  parents lived here and worked on a farm in 1939 and 1940, just before I was born back in Nashua, NH.

The streets in town are a tangle to a newcomer, but I found a place to park and then found this delightful entrance to the library. The sloping sidewalk leads to a ramp, instead of steps, up to the front door.

This handsome fellow is waiting for a name. You can go to the library's website and read all about him. On the wall behind him you can see pictures of the library founders back in 1866-1881.

UPDATE: The handsome fellow is now named OWLBERT.

This pleasant corner is the Bill Peckham Reading Nook.

Wooden contraptions like this protect library users from hot radiators. So much more attractive than most metal covers, I think.

The sign above the arched window says "Reading: Your Window on the World." This is the teen area.

The library has a monthly drawing for patrons. At the end of August, as school starts, the prize is a collection of school supplies and a backpack!

Another "sign" (the letters are moveable) says, "A book a day keeps reality away." Indeed, not a bad thought...

This picture shows a lot of the interesting details of the main floor of the library.

The children's area is downstairs. The mural was painted by high school students, and they did a fine job.

Many libraries have signs with variations on this theme. Some, like this one, stress the common good. Some mention the importance of teaching responsibilty. Whatever the emphasis, librarians tell me that the signs are heeded about half the time.

Picture books surround the bright alpha-numeric rug. I saw a sign about the "1000 Book Club" and learned that indeed the library does participate in the "1000 books before kindergarten" program.

The stairs were manageable (knee issues), but if they had not been, I could have ridden this nifty chair to the lower level and back again. The ramp outside and this chair are typical examples of ADA accommodations made by older libraries.

Finally, here's a picture of the "quilt" created by school children some time ago. In its place of honor behind the service desk, it creates a warm welcome to the library. And here I offer my thanks to the librarian who gave me a tour of the building...thank you!

8/7/2018