This summer, our Four County Library System came up with an idea.
There are 42 libraries in the system. Urban libraries. Small town libraries. Libraries in historic buildings. At least one library that will turn 200 (the library, not its building) next year.
The idea: visit as many of the libraries as you can between July 1 and September 2 and win some (small) prizes. They called it the 4CLS Road Trip.
Despite me loving libraries, and occasionally visiting libraries when I visit somewhere, I had been to the grand total of four of these libraries. Why should I? I'm comfortable with the ones I'm used to.
But, I soon realized it was time to get out and when I approached my spouse about it, I thought he would run in the other direction. He winces every time I mention the word "library". He knows I wanted to be a librarian when I grew up. He's a reader, just not someone who might live in a library if given the chance.
Reading? GoodReads? Here's my GoodReads story.
To my shock (and it's hard to be shocked after 49 plus years of marriage) he enthusiastically said "let's go!"
So we started our road trip this week, although I'm not planning to visit all 42 (the Four County area is big and itinerary building can be a bit of a challenge, given the hours some of them are open).
I plan to do posts on some of these libraries in the near future. In the meantime, here are some things I have learned.
1. Librarians are proud of their libraries. Two of the libraries I visited gave me history printouts or tour guides. In fact, one of them gave spouse and me a tour EVEN THOUGH THEY WERE CLOSED THAT DAY. (Yes, I'm going to blog about that library.)
2. Libraries care about their patrons. They care a lot. At a library that is in a suburb (although I don't think of it as a suburb) of Binghamton, New York, I saw the librarian greet every patron who came in by name, asking after their family,or their pet(s), or something else. Another library bragged about their Large Print collection, the largest in the system, although those books are a lot more expensive than regular print books. Why? Because most of their patrons are elderly and need them. How do you pay for them, my spouse asked? The librarian shrugged. Dare I wonder what that shrug meant?
3. Some of those libraries are repositories of history. The blend of old and new can be amazing. There are paintings, portraits of the founders of the library, and one even had a 100 year old desk where you checked out your books. Others have local artifacts on display - one library I visited had the shoe of an enslaved person found in the basement of an area home that was known to be a stop on the Underground Railroad.
I do wish something, though. I wish that Binghamton still had its Carnegie Library. I spent many happy lunch hours there until it closed at the end of October, 1999. The building was vacant for many years and was saved by SUNY Broome for a culinary college that opened in 2021 but I'm not even sure the public can go in and tour it even during the public cooking classes. The current building just isn't the same.
Whoever thought this idea up has a winner, at least for me. I just hope they keep in mind the residents who don't drive, because this tour can't be made easily without public transportation. Perhaps for next year, a virtual road trip could be prepared.
Has your library system ever held a Summer Road Trip?
My first post of the #4CLSroadtrip.
...libraries are so valuable. At the moment we are outside the Tupper Lake Library using their Wi-fi.
ReplyDeleteOther than the Library of Congress, I do not think I have ever visited a library outside of Michigan. I've visited several here in Michigan though, including the main library in Detroit which was on the University campus.
ReplyDeleteWe have far fewer libraries in our system. My son and I set out to visit them all, and I think we only have one left. I have to locate the list. It was just our idea, not a library program. I noticed Goodwill has one though, with a stamp card and all. However, as much as I love Goodwill, some of the stores on the list are a long way from here so I don't participate. I think there's a discount reward. I already get 10%, so I'm fine.
ReplyDeleteMy library system has a Carnegie library, but they sort of ruined it by attaching it to new construction. You can only tell from the outside front, which isn't really the front door. Our other Carnegie isn't a library anymore, and is undergoing restoration.
What a lovely idea. And it's like a staycation. It's something that's close by but destinations that you can explore. Have fun.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great idea, I hope lots of people venture out and the program is a success.
ReplyDeleteLibraries are magical places which I hardly ever visit anymore, but I'm just glad to know they are there and freely available to people who need them. My younger daughter is a former librarian who eventually moved on to a better paying job but she still maintains her ties with librarian friends and fond memories of her work with them.
ReplyDeleteThanks for this great, supportive posts about our libraries...and the tour idea!
ReplyDeleteHi Alana - what a lovely idea ... one I'd be interested in doing ... I've only visited our local library - and really need to learn more about it. The British Library in London, Senate House Library for an exhibition or two, ... but a tour like that would educate me! Cheers - fun idea ... enjoy - Hilary
ReplyDeleteI spent many hours of my youth at the Bainbridge Public Library, which my mother occasionally used as a free babysitting service for me! Girl Scouts ended at 4:30, but she didn't get done with work until 5, and the library, which closed at 6, was a short, safe walk from the church where Girl Scouts met. I loved spending time there! In the summer, I would ride my bicycle about 3 miles down Rt. 7 into town and spend entire afternoons there. I would also occasionally get to use the Sidney Library, and then, when my mother had a job in Binghamton, I would go to work with her once a week or so and spend the better portion of the day at the library there. Such happy memories!
ReplyDeleteKimberly, I wanted to thank you for your comment on my 4 county library roadtrip blog post this past Tuesday. Thank you for sharing your childhood memories with me. We both share memories of the old Binghamton Carnegie library which, alas, is no longer in use as a library. I loved that building. I am going to do a blog post on the Bainbridge Free Library this week and I hope my photos bring back more memories.
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