567 Fremont Public Library, Fremont, New Hampshire

 

I'm wrapping up my three-library trip. It's kind of mind-bending that on Tuesday when I made this trip the ground was bare, mostly, and the temperature was close to 60.  Two days later the temperature was back in the teens and, where I live, the ground was covered with almost a foot of snow.

The building is interesting architecturally and I even got a decent picture!

I would not normally take a picture of a parking lot. The reason why I did so here is that for almost two years now library parking lots have been empty. First, libraries were closed. Then, as they began to be partially open, moving on from curbside delivery only, the rules would allow only two or three patrons at a time. So a parking lot with six or seven cars was a novelty I wanted to capture.

After the cluster of rectangles and triangles that form the library, the round colonnade at the entrance was an interesting surprise.

There's really no downside to having a library full of patrons--except that the "rules" are that I cannot take pictures with people in them. And on this day, all of those people constituted a lively book club and they were seated in the central area of the library, with a great array of windows. It sounded as if they were having a good time. There was nobody in the children's area, so we'll start there with a colorful array of books and a map of the United States.

Large windows in the children's area provide natural light and a view to a landscaped area. I discovered when I was leaving that there is an area below this level; you can see the rounded stone retaining wall that forms part of this area. For some reason I never spotted a "downstairs" or I would have taken a look.

These bears all have names and I believe they are hibernating. It's almost time to wake up, bears! There was a dragon nearby in honor of Chinese New Year, but the picture somehow vanished between my camera and my computer.

Puzzled? I was, until I lifted that wooden part in the middle. That exposed a collection of chalk, and I remembered seeing a table like this somewhere before. The gray surface is a well-used chalk board, with the chalk standing by.

This appears to be the heart of preschool territory, with chairs for adults to sit in and, I hope, read to kids. Again we have great windows and lots of light.

I walked quietly past the book club to the other side of the library. I'm sorry this isn't a better picture, but it's trying to show the two oldest library buildings at the upper left and the present building below.

I can't place this interior window wall, but I must have seen it, since I took the picture. I'm going to hazard a guess and say that it creates a space that allows programs that might be noisy. Please, someone leave a comment and tell me what it really is.

This is a display of February Features, books related to the programs in that month. I expect that this will be totally changed very soon.

This colorful shelf caught my eye; I want one! [No, Ellen, there is no place for one in the apartment.] If you look closely, you'll see that the corner posts are giant pencils.

I did follow my rule to "look up" before I leave a library, and this time I was rewarded with these interesting hanging lamps. I can't quite decide whether they look like classic fixtures from my elementary school, or retro spaceships. (How's that for an oxymoron?) Whatever, I like them.

Three libraries. Must be time to go home for lunch.

2.22.2022

566 Mary E. Bartlett Memorial Library, Brentwood, New Hampshire

Welcome back! This is the middle of a three-library trip, and they are all in a cluster. I often found small clusters of libraries in Minnesota, but they were likely to be 10 to 15 miles apart. On this trip, the distance between libraries was more like three to five miles. So here we are in Brentwood, just a few miles from Kingston. Let's take a look.

Here's a view coming up the driveway. Snow was melting, but that was four days ago. To imagine how this looks today, wrap it in about a foot of bright white, snow!

I'm not positive, and I forgot to ask, but I think this is a grown up version of a little free library. When I walked to the car after my visit, a young woman had the doors open and seemed to be selecting a book. I took a closer look and saw that the doors are held shut by sliding bolts, and the titles available seemed to have a nice variety. So even if the library is closed, you would have a good chance of finding reading material.

A choice of steps or a ramp provides good accessibility.

The entrance is interesting, with the small panes of glass above the broad doors and the lantern-shaped light fixture on the wall above the book drop.

With the formalities taken care of, the first thing I saw was the display of new YA books.

I don't recall in the past seeing a "teaser" like this, also in the YA area. I hope it works for teens; I know it certainly caught my attention and had me wondering what new items. Something other than books, perhaps?

It's not unique but it is a bit unusual to find open space like this in smaller libraries. For some reason it gives me a sense of possibilities. The yellow sign on the floor is a reminder about social distancing.

This is a classic "living room" space for readers. Comfy chairs and those big windows are so inviting.

Speaking of windows, did you spot it in the last picture? It's late February and the temperature is in the 50s, maybe even the 60s...and windows are open! Spring is coming. [Four days later a foot of snow, but Spring really is coming!]

I can't recall where I first saw chairs like this; in a school, I think. It's a bit hard to tell from the photo, but these are rocking chairs. Slightly rocking chairs. They tip back a little bit, so you can change your position slightly. Kids love them. Adults do, too, once they get over the initial surprise.

Another reading and lounging area with comfy chairs and plenty of light. Why no people, here or in the other "living room?" Two reasons, I think. First, after libraries were closed, or partially closed, for a couple of years, habits must be re-formed. And second, did I mention that it was a warm sunny day in February in New Hampshire? A great chance to be outdoors! Perhaps some people were out tending to the sugar bush; I saw several places in my travels this day where maples had been tapped. With buckets, not plastic collecting lines!

It's the little details that really pull a room together. Here's a detail from the picture above.

Libraries often keep town records accessible. Here they are found in a cluster of 3-ring binders.

        

A reminder that Valentine's Day was not long ago.

Could this 3-D printer be one of the "amazing new items" hinted at in the YA teaser sign?

Picture books galore in the bins and shelves below. Those are really handsome blue bins.

Libraries often encourage positive behavior and attitudes, especially in the children's area. Programs and storytimes reinforce the message.

Here's a long view of the children's area. The light yellow walls really set off the primary colors of the furnishings.

Nothing boring here, not even the restroom door!

I'm sure help is at hand if you need something from a top shelf. If I'm around, I can probably get it for you. 

I rarely get a picture of a service desk because of my "no people" rule. Here, everyone had stepped away at the same time, so I grabbed my chance.

Something new at the Memorial Library -- a wheelchair for patrons to use while they are in the library. 

Two visits down, one more to go on this southeast New Hampshire trip. But first I'll take a walk.

2/2/2022
 

565 Kingston Community Library, Kingston, New Hampshire

Ahh, Kingston. If you search for 532 Kingston, you'll find the report of a visit about 15 months ago. And you'll see that the earlier visit was more about a nature trail than a library. Why? Well, go look at the other entry. This time the library was open, so I'm giving it its own number (565) and a normal review.

The library is larger than I remembered. This is the view from close to the sign.

The entranceway is very nice, with stone accents and a sense of both arrival and sheltering.

Once inside and given permission for pictures, I started looking around. The gentleman in the picture is Josiah Bartlett. I had to look him up; he's one of the founding fathers, a delegate to the Continental Congress for New Hampshire. Wikipedia tells us that he lived in Kingston. It also reminds us of the fictional Josiah Bartlett, the President in the West Wing television series.

Many libraries have fireplaces. They often appear to be unused. I'm guessing that this one is sometimes used, since a safety rail is placed around it.

A half-dozen computer carrels are at the ready, but thanks to the pandemic and social distancing, only three are in use.

A friendly reminder...

Both sides of the library have this combination of window seats and shelves. Informal seating and natural light, a winning combination.

Tall table and chairs, games at the ready, suggest that this is the teen area.

        

Is it something crazy about the camera angle, or are the stacks really looming over us?

This shelf reminded me that I haven't seen over-sized books shelved by themselves lately. I'll have to watch on upcoming visits to see what other libraries are doing for the books that need extra space.

Periodicals are displayed on slanted shelves. Even without dividers, they seem to remain in tidy stacks.

I used to build dollhouses, so I took a good look at this room box near
the entrance to the children's area. It's very nicely done.

This sign is on a shelf of books in the children's area. The subtext seems to be "Don't spread books all over." Or could it be "DO judge a book by its cover?" I saw copies of this sign in other places, so I'm pretty sure the message is about tidiness.

Crayons and coloring sheets are standing ready for youngsters to use.

The large display on the wall shows participants in the "1000 Books Before Kindergarten" program.

I was stopped in my tracks when I spotted this large, real tree. I can't for the life of me think why I didn't take more care with a picture of the tree. It's magnificent. 

At the base of the tree a seating area is made from sections of tree trunk with cushioned seats.

This is clearly a space for the youngest library visitors. As always, I like the natural light and the link to the outdoors.

I'm always glad to see maps and globes in libraries.

Giant "book spines" bracket a doorway. They make me think of a library someone showed me on Facebook just this morning.

        

Here's one place where patrons are encouraged to leave messages...

...and here's another. 

These stone pillars near the entrance visually link the inside and the outside of the building.

I put this in to remind me to search for a plastic bag recycling opportunity where I live. The Lions Club does the collecting and with enough plastic a community can have a bench. I walk a lot and I'm very pro-bench (because I also like to sit). I must look into this.

These shelves are in a large meeting room near the library door. When I was there the room was being used for a book sale.

The large version of the sign gives the basics. The one in back gives the reason: "It sets off the alarm system if left down." You wouldn't want to do that more than once!

February isn't the best time to be looking at plants, but on the way to my car I noticed several garden plots, each with a label: Herb Garden, Fragrance Garden, Culinary Garden, and Dye Garden. This must enable a lot of varied programs in season.

 Now I can shake off the unfinished feeling about Kingston that I've had since November 2020. I hope the Girl Scouts are still maintaining, or planning to maintain, the nature trail!

2/22/2022