67a Pleasant Hill Library, Dakota County Library System, Hastings, MN

As you can tell from the "a" appended to the post number 67, this trip was for a re-visit. And that low number "67" indicates that the first visit was in the summer of 2012, when I challenged myself to visit all the MELSA libraries during the summer. (I did achieve that goal.) So why Pleasant Hill, and why now?

Both why and why now are answered by a small article I saw in the paper a few weeks ago, announcing that Pleasant Hill Library would reopen in a few days after major renovations. I have an ongoing plan to revisit all those MELSA libraries and see how they're doing after 7 or 8 years, so ... let's go

I stayed in the parking lot for this picture in order to try and show the whole building. Not the greatest picture, but the good stuff is inside.

Well, not all the good stuff is inside. In my travels, this is one of the top ten planted areas by a library entrance.  [No, I don't have them counted or listed...but it's definitely one of the very good ones!]

After the lobby, which has two strollers and a wheelchair in case you need them, there is a large meeting room on the right.

    

No picture, but I want to mention a sign I saw as I entered, calling attention to an upcoming program for kids 5 to 10, called Mixed Nuts. I just want to say that this strikes me as an underserved group in many places, and the "Mixed Nuts" name seems just right!

I stopped at the service desk, out of sight on the left, and got permission to take pictures inside...as always, with no people. I had spotted something interesting on the right, but before we go there, take a look at the floor. Look closely and you'll find the name of the city, Hastings, along with major roads and geographical features.

The pattern on the floor continues into the heart of the library. It shouldn't surprise you to know that Hastings is a town on the Mississippi River, which runs right down the middle of the floor. Shortly, we'll see other examples of how the library has been designed to reflect its environment.

HELP! Is this the Mississippi or the Vermilion? Please leave a comment! 

This is the corner of the room we're headed for. At the top, notice that place names have been added to the wall. They include major names (Dakota County) and minor ones (Bullfrog Pond.) And the pattern on the glass is of a major bridge.

This is a maker space called the iLAB. Many libraries are including these labs in their designs, and this is one of the more complete ones that I'm aware of.

I didn't get pictures of everythig, but there are two 3-D printers; a laser paper cutter that lets you cut silhouettes in paper, cardstock, vinyl, and so forth; equipment for transferring your old photos and slides and even 8mm home movies to digital format; two sewing machines; a manual typewriter; a laminator, and an iMac with all of the Apple software. My thanks to the librarian who was eager to show me the lab and gave me a thorough tour!

    

Heading down one side of the library, we pass various seating areas brightened by a wall of windows.

Halfway down that wall there is a charging station. Yes, the picture is upside down. I will eventually fix that. In the meantime, know that there are eight places to plug in devices. The sign with the yellow reminds those who use the charger to take their device with them and don't leave it unattended.

As you walk down past the windows, the other side is loaded with treasures. Here, for example, we have plastic bins with storytime kits.

Storytime kits are fairly common, though tote bags and backpacks are more usual than plastic bins. But on the next row I found something very rare: Fitness kits. Some fitness equipment is available at the library in Independence, Kansas. The library in Petewawa, Ontario, will lend you a bike and a helmet. But the purple duffle bags here contain such things as Ultimate ProGym in a Bag, Resistance Loops, Stretch-out Straps, Cardio to Go, Hand Therapy Kit, and more. The blue bags hold books for Book Groups. [It intrigues me that these are not called "Book Club in a Bag." "Book Group" seems more casual.]

Next we come to World Languages shelves. the only language I spotted was Spanish. The other side of these shelves holds the print collection of reference books.

    

After those "specialist" shelves, the library opens up to a browsing area with magazines and newspapers nearby. And speaking of "nearby," it's a great idea to have a computer with catalog access mounted on the end of the stacks, right where it's handy.

    

Remember the glass wall around the iLab, the one with the picture of the bridge? And the geographic features in the floor? Well, it turns out that the study rooms and the small meeting room continue the theme, with names taken from local features, and photographic prints on the glass walls. There is a teen corner near the study rooms.

     

Pleasant Hill implies some height, and here we have an area that feels like the prow of a ship that looks out over a major intersection. Here in the library we are apart from the world, but with a view that connects us to the outdoors. I think this would be an awesome place to watch a storm!

If a storm is not to your liking, turn 180 degrees and you find a fireplace. It was not on, but I think it is kin to the fireplace in the Shoreview, MN, library, which simulates flames in a very environmentally sensitive way.

Leaving the large windows and the fireplace, we arrive at the children's area. The first feature I spotted was a pair of reading "nooks," sort of like window seats without windows. Cozy for kids, large enough to be comfortable for adults.

Picture books are on these sturdy metal shelves. I like the fact that the simple metal rail across the books allows so many of the covers to be seen.

In a recent post I mentioned the frequency of "tree" motifs in libraries. I spotted this abstract one in the children's area. Look down by the "roots" -- those are board books tucked in between the slender uprights.

About the time I thought "a tree...how cool!" I noticed that it was not alone. Look closely on the right of the next picture and you'll a second tree with a reading nook carved into the trunk. And, although there is no picture, I assure you that there is a third tree! The picture below also shows some of the interactive stations for the preschool crowd.

At some point I will surely stop seeing seating options that are new to me, but I'm not at that point yet. I like that big foam "Y" and the matching round stools. On the right, instead of the classic train setup, there is a play surface with grooves for cars to run in, and bins on the ends for the "loose parts" used for creative play.

     

These pictures show part of the children's area, with two computers. One thing I noticed here is
that there are many more chairs than computers. This reminds me of a library where only one child was allowed per computer, which seemed to me a shame. Kids like to work (or play) together on computers, and that's just the kind of collaboration we need. The picture on the right shows two more of those "windowless windowseats" we saw when we entered the kids area. these include a small shelf for books or a "device."

     

This view of the children's area shows a hint of two more study rooms on the far wall. Of course, they are also named for local features. The shelves here include entertainment and non-fiction DVDs for kids, Launchpads, Wii games, and new children's books. I seem to have missed media for adults!

Yes, there are books in Spanish for kids, too.

I've trained myself to "look up" before leaving a library, and here I am rewarded with an interesting ceiling that lets in natural light.

Back at the beginning, there are eight computers for patron use. I have a perfectly nice picture of them, but a person I thought I had left out of the picture turns out to be there. [One of these days I'll be smart enough to crop out an inadvertent person, but I'm not that smart yet.]

To the left beyond the self-checkout machines are the requested books and a shelf of books for sale.

And here is one more example of unusual seating, this one right in the middle of things as you enter.

Here's a view from the parking lot. Pleasant Hill: Could any name be more perfect for the Hastings Library?

8/6/2019