The Week in Library Land: June 2nd to June 8th

Another relatively quiet week - but by no means silent - here in Library Land. Just three libraries but two of them were new and all of them were awesome in their own ways.

Our first stop for the week was on Monday in Woburn, one of our total favorites. We were there to work and it’s such an ideal spot for co-working. The study rooms are so comfortable. The only downside is that more and more people are using them so they can be harder to get. We’ve always had luck, however, and love chatting with the reference staff and using this gorgeous place!

We had a good phone call with John Chrastka of EveryLibrary. They’re doing some amazing work with library systems around the world. It’s such a great organization and it would be a total treat to work with them at some point. Library Land Score: 4.91.

The Flint Memorial Library

On Thursday we had a meeting with a library consultant and agreed to meet in North Reading. The meeting was good and the library was lovely. There are a lot of interesting features, including a community room in the basement which has its own entrance and kitchen, a children’s room on the topmost floor that has big exposed beams and great views out over the town green, and a staff who were super engaged and friendly. It’s such a treat to sit down with library leaders to hear their thoughts on the state of library services, the issues on their minds, feedback on Library Land, etc. That was certainly true in North Reading! Library Land Score: 4.27.

Cranston, a very traditional library.

The last library for the week was the central library of the Cranston Public Library system. The library is fairly big and very active. During our visit, there were so many people using computers and work areas, which is always excellent to see. The library is a very traditional one, with few added features or services. There are no study rooms, which is always a bummer. There are, however, worktables. They can be used by co-workers, as long as they use “library loud” voices. It was the focus on being quiet, among other things, that led to the library feeling very kind of old school. The reference staff was really friendly and happy to answer questions and chit chat. Library Land Score: 4.18.

The other thing worth mentioning is the decision to change the name of our rating category “cleanliness” to “condition.” We feel it is a more accurate description of the issues we consider in this area, which include cleanliness, paint, wear and tear, general upkeep, etc. There hasn’t been a change in the criteria we consider but wanted a more accurate and fitting description for the category.

Well, that’s it for the week. There’s a ton afoot and Library Land and you’ll be able to read all about it here!