Rochester was not on my list; I planned my first visit at a library in a nearby town. But my gps took me through Rochester, and suddenly I was right beside the library and a sign indicating parking. I did the only sensible thing and parked the car.
I was at the lower level near the children's area, and the programming started here.
It started with a friendly welcome smile on the sidewalk.
A cluster of hula hoops and a cart of assorted toys were sitting ready to be used. A sign made clear that the playthings were intended for adults and kids to use together. I've seen plenty of "passive programming" in other libraries, but never such an inviting array outdoors.
This handsome obelisk has a word on each side: PEACE HOPE LOVE RESPECT
I'm ready to head inside. Rather than take the lower level door to the children's area, I headed for the front of the building.
The original part of the building is very eye-catching.
This must be close to what original building looked like.
I used a newer entrance at the end of a walkway along the side of the original building. This is a Carnegie library; it opened in 1905 and had additions in 1941 and 1996.
Once I had introduced myself and received permission for pictures, I first headed for the stacks. starting with fiction. I like these signs that guide patrons to popular authors.
The collection of audio books is quite extensive.
The teen area has assorted materials at hand, including a well-used paper for free expression. It looks like a place that would welcome older kids with a sense of possibility.
As I walked through the many areas of the library, something unusual caught my eye. Do you see it, in the center, way up high? What is your guess of what this is?
My guess was a rope left from a bell tower. Nope. It's the apparatus of a dumbwaiter, used to move books and what-all from one level to the others. I forgot to ask if it is still in use; given the way the rope is wrapped, I'm guessing that it is not.
Here's a good look at a classic room in the original library.
The framed piece of fabric here is one of many throughout the library. There used to be a theater here, quite an elaborate one, I gather, with a floor that could be laid flat for dances or raked for concert and drama seating. The fabric pieces are from the old theater curtains. The Library Director is well-versed in the library's history, and told me that she even has the original blueprints of the building.
The pleasant-looking woman presiding over the fireplace is the original librarian, Lillian Parshley, who served from the beginning of the library in 1893 to 1945. Notice that early date: she was the librarian ten years before the library was built!
This library is one of the many funded by Andrew Carnegie and one of relatively few that are still serving in their original role as a public library.
This sign, although small and low (right where it needs to be) indicates a collection of media dealing with immigrants and refugees who are "changing places" in their lives. This strikes me as a good category to call out.
I took this picture because it made me think of the fire safety poster in tiny Hebron, NH, library. Rochester, with all of the different rooms in three building, is even more in need of a "you are here" map to guide novices.
Now I'm heading downstairs to the children's area. The wall in the stairwell holds many of these sayings about writing and reading.
I almost missed this fellow; I turned back to capture him/her. The summer reading program this year deals with the ocean, and each library I visit is finding ways to decorate.
Here's a very effective and eye-catching "under the sea" wall.
Here is a place to sit and read to a child, or for a child to sit and read alone. Notice that there are pictures on every wall.
This isn't quite a full-sized boat, but it's definitely kid-sized. When I saw this, I realized that I haven't seen the boat theme for quite a while. In Minnesota (land of 10,000+ lakes) and around the Great Lakes, boats for kids to play on were ubiquitous. River boats, row boats, sail boats...each library with a boat has one that fits the community. For the biggest one, I suggest the river boat program room in La Crosse, Wisconsin.
sailMore pictures. And those aren't puppets on the wooden post, they're hats, including an octopus hat!
Here's a sign of a library that is prepared to do messy projects!
We're back where we started, but on the inside. This is the exit from the children's area. It's also the location of an elevator that will take you to the parking level as well as the floors of the library.
For a serendipitous stop, this was great, I should do this more often, allowing more time in my driving route to visit libraries that just just show up!
7/26/2022
Very impressive
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