551a Maxfield Public Library, Loudon, New Hampshire

This was an interesting experience. Often, I search the blog to see if I've already visited a planned library. This time, I was so confident that I had not visited, I didn't even check.  When I got to the parking lot everything seemed new to me.

As I approached the door, I still had no sense of having been here before. But when I got inside, staff greeted me with the news that they remembered me. Really? Well, if you say so...

I decided to treat this as a new visit for one principle reason: My first visit, as it turned out, was a year ago, in September 2021, when libraries were just starting to open as the COVID pandemic wound down. So my entry from that visit (Just search for "Maxfield") will show the difference between the major response to COVID and the "almost back to normal" status.

So I began my visit. This is the YA corner...and I have no memory of seeing it before.

These slanted shelves lift for access to the back issues of periodicals. I've seen these shelves many places, of course, but here? No, not familiar. And it's likely there were no periodicals on the shelves at the time of my first visit.

This takes "painting stones" to a whole new level. Did I see this on my last visit? No idea. [Note: I have deliberately not looked at the earlier entry.]

This telescope is part of the program to provide New Hampshire libraries with telescopes. This one looks like a slightly different model than those I've seen before.

Most libraries I see these days have found a way to have a comfortable reading area, usually centered on a window or a fireplace. This is a really nice example of a window corner.

The yellow sign is a reminder to maintain a six-foot "social distance." I don't see this being rigidly maintained these days, but it's a nice reminder of healthy behavior.

And now I come to a step-stool with a handle to help with balance. And this is the first thing I've seen that I do remember from the other visit!

This bookshelf holds local history materials. including, if my memory of this visit is correct, a collection of local school yearbooks.

Many libraries have a multi-purpose meeting room. This one is tucked around a corner near the unisex restrooms and the door to the children's area. That's where we'll head next.

At the bottom of the yellow-tile stairs we find the children's area--and I remember so much of it from the earlier visit! But probably not that nice wide chair; upholstery was banned during the pandemic. Too hard to clean.

A small amphitheater creates more program space outside; this picture shows about half of it.

I remember the yellow painting smocks, but on my last visit this room would not have been in use. No programs in those days, but there would have been "take and make" kits, I'm sure. And they'd have been available by "curb-side service," with everyone masked.

And I remember the mural that pays homage to the local racetrack, The New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

Upholstery again, and materials set out for anyone to handle.

I don't claim to remember these cute animal chairs; they may have been tucked away in the old days.

I sort of remember this. The blue rail on the right leads us up from the main kids' area to a seat ahead and the elevator on the left. Sit and wait for the elevator? Curl up on the carpeted seat and read? Whatever works for you.

This mural shows a small airport, like one nearby.

The youngest library users have the habit of gnawing and drooling on...just about anything. Rather than putting "yucky" items back on the shelf, or leaving them on the floor, do other parents and the librarian a favor and put them here for cleaning.

Speaking of the youth services librarian, one reason this library caught my eye was that I read on the website that there is a weekly class for kids to learn and work on reading and writing cursive handwriting! They do not learn cursive in school, and the librarian told me that they seem to think of it as a craft or an art, like calligraphy. Nope, it's good old cursive. Source of my worst grades in third grade, and I still have lousy handwriting. In fact, I very rarely write cursive and my "signature" still looks like it was written by a third grader. But Louden is too far and the classes are only for kids. Let's head back up the yellow-tile stairs.

Somehow this picture got out of order, but I did want you to see the handsome fireplace.

And now, with my memory refreshed, I'm off to one more library. I always try to do two or three libraries in a trip, and New Hampshire makes this fairly easy by having a library in every town, and the towns packed quite close together.

9/15/2022