The New Library: we loved it!

Book mover from the bookdrop to the sorting room

The cookbooks and the biography’s were found after the DE Stevenson’s and the Cadell’s.  Important stuff.

It’s not at all like the old main library where I could just walk right in and find what I wanted.  No.  I still don’t have a guess as to which floor everything is on, but fourth floor  “Literature” has my old, musty, favorite reading stuff on it.  I can find that.  All the other floors are confusing.  Not well marked or well memorized.  The signs tell you the contents of the floor but not the floor number itself.

   What floors are these?

Somewhere in the Biography’s, Virginia Wolfe has a whole section of one aisle.  President Wilson also has far, far more written about him than I ever knew.  The storage basements must have been overflowing with all these volumes I never knew the city owned.

Virginia Woolf as far as the eye can see.

So many are fragile too.  I’ve brought home two books now where Scotch Tape is more than just a mention.  With one of the DE Stevenson’s, I was actually afraid of turning the pages thinking large hunks here or there might fall off.  Tiny bits did fall from the high acid papers as I read.

The Balzac is in better shape than the Stevenson.

The building itself is still suffering twinges of new building syndrome.  The first floor lights half worked leaving most of the floor in darkness.  The stairs that run around the sides of the service elevator are miserly, have open sides a child’s foot might slip through, and are narrow.  They did not seem planned for the huge number of patrons that crowded the building this weekend.  Two elevators.  This was good, but they were so filled with solid pressed humanity that every time a door opened many in the crowd gave up and used the narrow stairs instead.

   

Left:  A darkened children’s section.  Right: Well lit, glassed in Homework center.

Chairs with yellow desks at the end of an isle.

I found especially wonderful not only the access to the books but also the many places to stop and read.  Around every floor were chairs and tables in sunny window spaces inviting one to read for just a moment.  Every floor had rows of well-lit tables with electrical outlets for laptops.  Soft chairs made out of new materials lined the tables.   

   Left:  Roof rock garden.  Right:  Card catalogues still live on the 9^th floor.

Down on the third floor there was a row of giant overstuffed blue chairs facing south.  Up on the 9^th was an eye pleasing rock garden outside on a roof top.  Was it the third floor that had a section just for Teens.  “Teens Only” it said painted on a big surfboard.  Boy, I would have liked that as a kid.  On another floor was a computer workshop area for those looking for jobs.  There are also areas that have computers just for general use.  Lots of them with most of them in use.

Blue sofas.

We walked over three hours yesterday. 

Parking was easy…it’s still free.  G got himself a new library card, and we explored.  Even though the floors aren’t as clearly marked as I would wish the building, book, and computer access are all easy.  The building appears to have plenty of room for expansion too.  We were both delighted with our visit.

View up at the dome.

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Life is Really in the Footnotes:

http://geeeee-zer.blogspot.com/>Himself:

  He’s also begun a blog here on Blogger.  Gym, laundry, work, meeting.

Herself:  Pool, write, add photos for the Discovery shop.  Lunch, nap, dinner, read.

Reading:  An old Cadell.

Balance:  Nap.  Not one, but an all day nap.  I couldn't stay awake and was very cold.