Guest Post: Learning In - and From - Libraries, by Lydia Jankowski
Allow me to introduce myself - my name is Lydia Jankowski, and about a year and a half ago I started my blog, Lydia’s Libraries, as a way to explore different local libraries. I had been spending multiple afternoons every week doing homework in libraries in my area and fell in love with the sense of community I felt in each one. The feeling of being in a space united by people working, reading, and conversing was extremely humbling and satisfying for me.
I started my blog in my junior year if high school, amid a time where many weekends were spent visiting different colleges. However, this became an incredible opportunity to explore a wide range of different libraries. The more schools I visited, the more I was able to compare and observe how different college libraries reflected the character of the school, but also the student environment. How the students used, interacted, and worked within the space said a lot about the overall atmosphere the school was trying to foster. The warm, rustic reading room at Dartmouth created a much different atmosphere than the environment established by the open and bustling Science Library at Wesleyan University.
The Baker-Berry Reading Room - Dartmouth College.
Yet, while the grandeur of a big college library can be alluring, my true interest still lies in public libraries. Public libraries are genuine, comfortable. While some may possess more opulence and beauty than others, in the end, each library holds a specific place in its community. As I’ve traveled around New England and other parts of the country, I have seen this theme repeated at almost every library I visit. Libraries have become my form of a visitor center. To me, there is no better way to get to know an area than exploring the resources and community the local public library supports. Last year on a trip to Montreal, I visited the immense BAnQ Grande Bibliothèque. Just as the university libraries I visited reflected their student environments, the BAnQ reflected the culture of Montreal. People from all backgrounds were working and interacting within the space. In one of the most diverse cities in the world, here was a place where members from virtually every community in the city were united under one roof. As a tourist in the city, the library also offered a great selection of maps and guides for the city. One of the librarians at the desk even recommended some great lunch places nearby.
Multi-floor view in BAnQ in Montreal.
The most recent library on my travels was the Sedona Public Library in Sedona, AZ. Amidst the heat of the desert, the library was a sanctuary of cool air. However, within this oasis, there was also a presentation by a local Native American musician, a showcase of work from local artists, and a little-used bookstore.
Desert Scene in Sedona Public Library.
From academic-focused to a big city or the desert, each library catered to the needs of its community and in doing so created comfortable spaces for all to enjoy. That comfort can be found in many places. Maybe it is that big Lazyboy in the living room, outside in the garden, or within a group of people. For me, one of the places I have always felt most comfortable is in a library. The long aisles of books, the muffled whispers, the quiet nooks - they all offer a refuge from the otherwise bustling world outside. Yet, what excites me about libraries today is how they are working to make all members of the community comfortable within their doors.
Although the book-lover in me will always find repose within the stacks, I’m not just visiting my local library now to check out the latest novel. As a young adult, the library is much more. It is a place to study, get homework help or hangout with friends. In my library travels, I have seen old study rooms converted into teen spaces complete with Xboxes and 3D printing machines. In my local library, there are programs every day after school for teenagers including writing workshops, cooking classes, or calligraphy lessons.
This is a common trend. Libraries across the country are adapting to a changing world. Public libraries remain a common ground of knowledge, conversation, and exchange. While society continues to move forward in unprecedented directions, libraries can draw us back to what it means to be human. In between the stacks of books are spaces that provide people of all ages and backgrounds equal access to information and perspectives that hold great power in an ever-changing world. The comfort of libraries comes from the spaces they provide as well as the communities they foster.
Looking forward, I am excited to explore and connect with new communities. This fall, I am attending UMass Amherst as a freshman. While the size of the school is not much smaller than the population of my hometown, I am eager to become engaged within the school and surrounding communities. I am proud to say that the school’s W.E.B. Dubois library is the tallest academic library in the world and among the largest publicly funded library in New England. Besides that, there are numerous other college and public libraries throughout Western Massachusetts waiting to be explored. While I have no idea where this next path will take me, it is comforting to know that wherever I end up, there will always be a library around.
Lydia Jankowski is the creator of Lydia’s Libraries. This fall she started her first year at UMass Amherst, where she plans to double major in Communications and Sustainable Community Development.
Outside of her library endeavors, Lydia works as a camp counselor for Mass Audubon. She is also an avid rock climber, hiker, violinist, and sock enthusiast.