Happiness is a Library Tree #ThursdayTreeLove #4CLSroadtrip

"Library is a garden where knowledge trees are nurtured" - Swaran Singh Jaggi.

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. They are spread out over four counties and it's quite an achievement to visit all 42.  Some people have done it. 

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 my love of libraries, I had been to the grand total of four of these libraries before the road trip started.   But as of today, I am up to 18.  It doesn't sound like much, but those four counties (in New York State: Broome, Delaware, Otsego and Chenango) are spread out over a large area. 

Today, though, I am going to bring you to the Broome County Public Library. This is an urban downtown library. The population of downtown is varied:  office workers that aren't working remotely that day.  Students. Artists.  People living below the poverty line.  And others. This library serves them all.  But first, I need to mention the original library I remember and loved.

When I worked in downtown Binghamton  I was in easy walking distance of the old Binghamton Carnegie library, which opened in 1903 and closed in 2000.  By 1998, when I was visiting it several times a week on my lunch period, the building was in sad shape.  A new library was built several blocks away and opened (if my memory is correct) in October of 2000.

The current Broome County library, picture taken July 15, 2023

The Carnegie library was a treasure that stood empty until our local community college renovated the library and turned it into a culinary arts school.  

The old Carnegie Library on Exchange Street, Binghamton, New York 1903-2000

I took this picture of the outside of the building on July 5, 2020. I still miss this library, but love how, in this picture, it is framed by trees on the Broome County Courthouse property across the street.

I am not going to take you into the modern library itself today but I want to show you its little gem - its garden, full of trees and welcoming places to sit.  I ate many a lunch in the library garden when I worked downtown.

Even more trees make this an urban oasis.

This artwork is called "Books and Birds".

But what I love the most is the trees. They sheltered and delighted me on many warm/hot days.

I miss them, too.  Happiness, for me, is a library tree.

Joining Parul at Happiness and Food this second Thursday of the month for #ThursdayTreeLove.