575 Penacook Branch of Concord Library, Penacook, NH

 

I've driven through Penacook many times, especially in the late '60s when I lived up the road in Salisbury. Until this visit the only time I stopped was for a job interview with the superintendent of schools. That interview resulted in a job teaching in Salisbury for about a year and a half. Now, more than fifty years later, I'm pursuing my hobby of library visits and blogging.

The building that now houses the library used to be the police station. I noticed that the long ramp has been outfitted with many friction strips to minimize the possibility of slipping on icy days.

The library is divided into several rooms. This one, to the left of the entrance, holds computers and the printer.

The children's area is small but light and bright. Crayons and coloring pages are ready for young artists to arrive. Perhaps they'll be here soon; I think it's about time for school to get out.

This cute little dinosaur is standing ready to greet its young friends.

When I visit libraries I often see books that I would like to read, especially picture books. Usually that calls for a note in my notebook and a request when I return to my "home" library in Concord. Here, it dawned on me that I was in a branch of the library--so my card would work here. I left with two books. One, a tale of a coconut that was a cousin to the Gingerbread Man story, was amusing. The other, a memory shared by Hollie Hobby, I definitely enjoyed. The ending was neat. and similar to my childhood experience with horses.

I like the dollhouse look of this beekcase.

There are a couple of rooms for adult books, with study tables. As is always the case with branch libraries, the collection is limited but availability is virtually unlimited through the central library and the extensive interlibrary loan program.

A "take and make" project for kids involving cupcake papers and buttons was available at the service desk. A similar project for adults involves an upcycled flower pot and a wildflower "seed bomb." One positive outcome of the pandemic seems to have been a proliferation of projects for adults as well as kids. This is one of the ways that libraries I've visited in the past two years managed to keep the library in the minds of patrons when their visits were limited.

One more branch to go. Next week, I think.

5/5/2002