519 Elkins Public Library, Canterbury, New Hampshire

It's great to be able to visit libraries again, but it takes extra planning to find libraries that will let me in! I've found that the best bet is to watch the "town news" columns in the Sunday paper. Doing just that led me to a pair of pleasant visits this week.

My first stop was at the Elkins Public Library in Canterbury, New Hampshire. 

The library is to the left. Isn't that OPEN sign great? Definitely a step up from the generic signs I see most often.

I had a great chat with the library director, who pointed out all of the great features, like this handsome quilt. After we talked, I went back to take pictures. I hope I got all the features, but there is a lot to see here; I probably missed something. That's what the comment feature is for, folks!

A stunning display at the far end of the library is this handsome quilt that shows many buildings of Canterbury. What I really like about this quilt is that many of the blocks have small additions to the scene depicted, giving a three-dimensional quality. A sign nearby lists the names of the local quilters who contributed to this great project.

Another project was done (I think) by a single person. I've built a couple dozen dollhouses over the years, so I really appreciate the work here. These two room boxes are furnished in Shaker style, representative of the Shaker Village nearby. 

And nearby in a life-sized corner we see more examples of Shaker furniture.

These shelves hold publications about Shakers and their history.

Book clubs meet in this attractive area with its fireplace. If I recall correctly, this is a working fireplace.

Near the fireplace, a narrow set of shelves hold a special collection of books. We'll put these in the "things I haven't seen in any other library" list!

This caught my eye in the periodical collection. I honestly didn't realize that The Saturday Evening Post was still being published. These were a pillar of my childhood, and probably contributed to my reading development. I would have gone nuts over an issue with a horse on the cover. Even better than Normal Rockwell!

These days, even small libraries make room for a young adult collection.

I see more and more collections of games that can be borrowed from libraries. It's a great idea: try before you buy, or simply try. With all of the time spent at home during the pandemic, I would think these would be very popular.

Reference collections have been shrinking in this time of the Internet, but they usually survive in some form in every library.

Computers are available to the public, but usually just half the normal number in order to maintain social distancing. Notice that the computer in the foreground has a plastic covering over the keyboard, for ease of cleaning between users.

Of course there is a children's area. I like the bright colors, and the wooden picture book bins appear to be "home made."

If you searched the blog for the word "tree" you would find many hits, as trees are a very popular theme in children's libraries. This one is very special, however, as it was taken from a flooded river! I believe the tree and the background mural were created by a New Hampshire artist, but I failed to get the name. Perhaps someone will help me out here? [Also, when conditions allow, a very large fuzzy bear hangs out around this tree!]

When I started the blog, the 1,000 books before kindergarten program rarely showed up; now it is ubiquitous. Some Canadian libraries have a version in which families are encouraged to read 50 specific titles, helping ensure that kindergartners start school with a common core of knowledge. Both are great approaches to literacy.

I took this picture primarily for the poster in the center: I CAN ACCEPT FAILURE, I CAN NOT ACCEPT NOT TRYING.

Media is available, with children's materials facing the children's area, of course...

...back-to-back with the adult collection.

I'm sorry this is a poor picture; the sculpture, stained glass, and woodwork deserve better.

In one way or another, libraries now ask that books be returned in a special place, not walked into the library. They provide face masks for those who arrive without their own, hand sanitizer for everyone, and a reminder to "don't come in" if you answer Yes to any of the now-classic questions: Symptoms? Travel? Contact?

 

8/12/2020