The Week in Library Land: October 27 to November 2

A lot of miles were covered in Library Land this week with library visits in Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New Jersey. Library Land has provided a great opportunity to visit towns and cities that we might not have seen otherwise and this week was a great example of that idea in action.. 

On Monday, I was in Marlborough to look at some houses in the area. As my wife and I have been house hunting, visits to libraries - unsurprisingly - have been part of the journey. The Marlborough Public Library is one we’ve visited in the past and - as is often the case - a second visit was helpful in appreciating the library and its services.

One important note about Marlborough is the fact that a new library is on the horizon. Speaking with the staff, it was clear they’re excited about the prospect. For a growing city like Marlborough, a new library can be a real boost and we’re looking forward to seeing what the future holds! Library Land Score: 3.91.

Also on Monday - but dozens of miles from Marlborough - Adam stopped by the O’Connell Branch Library in Cambridge. It’s a friendly community-centered place. The kids area takes up half of the space. He couldn’t help wonder what will happen with usage (and probably hours of operations) as the community migrates to the new Valente branch about a third of a mile away. Library Land Score: 3.64

The Brighton Branch of the BPL.

On Tuesday, Adam ventured to the Brighton Branch of the Boston Public Library to finish off some writing. It’s a multilevel brutalist building. The staff helps “soften” the aesthetic with some interesting large scale art on the walls overlooking the interior walkway. Library Land Score: 3.55.

On Wednesday, it was finally time to visit the Upton Public Library. It’s a smallish library in the lower level of what was once a church. There are a couple of meeting rooms and the basic services one expects from a library. The space is chock-a-block full and not especially inspiring. That said, between the meeting rooms - and a large collection of self-contained audio books (combined with players) - it seems like a fine and functional little library. Library Land Score: 4.00.

Sound advice!

Wednesday also saw Adam visit the Putterham Branch of Brookline Public Library for his first time. He noted an awkward incident: a patient librarian was handling repeated complaints from a patron who thought she could pick up a WiFi hotspot. The librarian mentioned that one was due to be returned the next day, but the patron was really insistent that she expected it then and there. Shortly after, as Adam was leaving the building, he heard a woman call to him. It was the same “complaining” patron telling him he had left his umbrella under a chair. A bit of full circle or maybe an example of people having multiple facets. Library Land Score: 3.73.

To the Children’s Area in Paterson.

I needed to be in Paterson, NJ on Thursday. It’s the city where my father grew up, where my grandparents lived when I was a child, and it’s a place that holds a lot of positive memories for me. While I was there I decided to visit the Totowa Branch of the Paterson Public Library that my dad, aunt, and uncle used when they were kids. The building was a bank until 1941, the year before my dad was born and certainly shows its age - but that doesn’t diminish its place in the community.

This has been an immigrant neighborhood for decades. It was mostly Italian when my dad was growing up. When I was a kid it was home to a large Puerto Rican community. Now there are signs for Peruvian restaurants and Bangladeshi groceries. There's also a large African-American community. Talking with one of the librarians, she told me that when the nearby school gets out, the kids make a beeline for the youth section. So great to hear!

While the neighborhood has changed over time, the library mission remains the same and as strong as ever: to provide equal access to information for all! Library Land Score: 3.55.

On the long drive back to Massachusetts that afternoon, I made a pit stop at the Case Memorial Library in Orange, Connecticut. It's a 1999 vintage that serves a town of 14,000. The building is nice, with a large open rotunda. There are two dedicated study rooms, as well as a number of other work areas. During my visit it was quiet in an unexpected way. Not a lot of hubbub. Library Land Score: 4.55.

The library is in Orange but it isn’t orange.

The final library for the week was the Wilmington Public Library. It’s one we first visited back in September of 2018. From the outside it doesn't make much of an impression. What impressed during our first visit was the library’s program to encourage civic discourse. As we’ve traveled around Library Land, we’ve mentioned this program often, and when we do, we often hear praise for the library’s director, Tina Stewart.

Tina has held the reins for many years and has been on hand when plans for a new library have twice been scuttled by voters. No doubt this is a disappointment, but that has only driven Tina and her team to make the very most of what they have. The civility program is a perfect example. 

As polarization becomes an increasingly troubling aspect of American life, Tina thought addressing civility would be a good topic for the library to take on. They did it through a series of events focused on promoting discussion and understanding. Now, the library is planning another series on the environment. 

What makes Wilmington stand out goes beyond these programs. The fact that they have Danielle Ward, a marketing librarian is awesome - and it has had a measurable impact on library usage and connection to the community. The technology librarian, Brad McKenna, is kept busy with community questions. We loved hearing about the library’s “fix-it clinics” and the fact that its 3D-printers are being used to help patrons repair broken items.

The Book Store Next Door to the Wilmington Library.

Another cool and noteworthy thing about the Wilmington Library is its stand-alone bookstore. While an increasing number of libraries are switching to permanent book sales (as opposed to annual or semiannual ones), Wilmington is one of only two we’ve seen that have the book sale located in a separate building (the other is the Milne Library in Williamstown). There’s just so much to love about this library! Library Land Score: 4.27.

Thus ended another wonderful week in Library Land!