Nine New Hampshire Libraries
I had the opportunity to visit New Hampshire to speak at the New Hampshire Library Association conference in Meredith. Having spent my childhood and teen years in the Granite State, I was excited to visit some of the libraries from my youth - and then some!
Plaistow Public Library, Plaistow
The first stop was the Plaistow Public Library. I visited it in person in 2018, but I’d visited previous incarnations of the library between the times I was in second grade and I left home. The library of my earliest memories was located in the town hall and was closed stacks. There was a small vestibule with a window to speak to the librarian and Dutch doors, their upper halves open, providing a view of the shelves. The next interaction of the library was in a small stand-alone building near the town hall. I recall visiting it often.
The current library is a well-considered space that has neat and discrete spaces for various uses. Study rooms, a fantastic community meeting room, a great children’s area, and more make the library a great and well-used community resource. During this recent visit, people were in and out of the library at a steady pace.
Access is so important and I loved seeing a talking book device, as well as information on the program, front and center as one enters the periodicals section. It’s an important program and one that’s not always well-displayed or promoted. Another highlight of the library is its extensive library of things collection and a patron display of ceramic birds. It brought to mind the collection of stuffed birds at the Lawrence Library in Pepperell.
Sandown Public Library, Sandown
A short drive from Plaistow is Sandown. The Sandown Public Library is a small affair compared with the one in Plaistow. What’s interesting - and certainly surprised me - is how close the towns are in terms of size. Plaistow is just shy of 8,000 people, and Sandown is around 6,500. The delta between the two libraries, in terms of size, is much greater. This kind of thing is always curious to me. Why the difference? What are the priorities of each community? Are those priorities reflected in the services that are offered - including the library?
Regardless of the reason, Sandown is a much smaller and simpler library. That said, there are lots of things to appreciate about the library. A small social seating area, for example. There’s also a nice attention to detail. A lot of the furniture and fittings are top-notch. It was a busy little place during the visit, with people in the children’s room and patrons coming and going. Observing the interaction between the staff and the public, it was clear there was a strong connection. One of the interesting items was a display of samplers dating back to the 17th century. Very cool.
Chester Public Library, Chester
The Chester Public Library serves a community of just less than 5,000 people. It’s a larger library than Sandown, however, and was busier, too. I was greeted by two librarians at the service desk. They provided details on the layout of the library and a bit of information about the town. The layout is a little complicated, with the collection in three different sections on two floors.
There were a number of cool (and funny) features. For example, figurines of a gnome and Betsy Ross beside the flagpole had me scratching my head. The beautiful purple and ORANGE teen space had me on cloud nine, so awesome!
The library was pretty active during this visit, with a lot of the spaces being used - and used in different ways. There were kids in the teen area, caregivers and kids in the children’s, a minister working, and people browsing the stacks. There wasn’t the buzz you feel at a really active library, but there was enough to know the library is well-used. Fun visit.
Manchester City Library, Manchester
I didn’t really know what to expect from the Manchester City Library. As I approached, I kept seeing municipal architecture, any one of which could have been a library. When I parked, I was surprised by just how massive and stately the building was. Definitely a library fit for a Queen City such as Manchester. I’d always heard Manchester described that way but had never known why. In writing this, I found that a Queen City is one whose population (115,000 in this case) is larger than the state capital. Interesting.
Walking to the front doors, I was so excited to get inside to explore. Unfortunately, the library had closed early, just minutes before my arrival. Cue the sad trombones. :-(
Baker Free Library, Bow
This disappointment in Manchester could be assuaged by a successful library visit. It was with high hopes that we made our way to the Baker Free Library in Bow. Located on a level corner lot, the library comes in two parts, a lovely antique, and a modern expansion. There was plenty of parking and in we went!
Stepping inside, the lighting was subdued, and the space was open. To the left were the children’s area and the adult stacks. To the right was seating and a service desk. Directly ahead was the antique building. There was no one at the service desk, which seems strange every time I encounter it. There were staffers visible in the large windowed workroom, but they didn’t come out. Odd.
The antique portion of the library is really lovely. What was most lovely was a large curving window seat at one end of the room. This seems to be set aside as a quiet reading room. I think the most outstanding thing about the library is the liminal space between the new and the antique. Here, it took the form of an oval gallery that opened into each section. There was a pretty fun exhibit during the visit. Lots of frogs.
The basement was a veritable wonderland of space. Five study rooms, an auditorium, and a community space with a full kitchen. It was empty during this visit. Going back upstairs, we explored the stacks, appreciated the well-executed seed library, and checked out children’s. All the while, I’d hoped someone would come out to say hello or ask if I needed anything. I will say that as a library user, I expect that; and as a librarian, I try my best to deliver a welcoming experience to everyone who comes through the door. That didn’t happen here, and I really wish it had.
Elkins Public Library, Canterbury
Two disappointing visits in a row!?! That was going to be hard to overcome. Thankfully, the Elkins Library, in tiny Canterbury (population 3,000), was just what the doctor ordered. The building appears small as you approach, but inside, it’s larger than expected. The super-friendly staff immediately offered a tour, which was gladly accepted.
The library is essentially one large space. Children’s is to the left as you walk in, the circulation/information is right before you, and the adult collection lies beyond. The result is a compact library that still makes space for lots of different uses. Two members of the “boring old men’s” book group met during this visit. They don’t all read the same book, I was told, but they love to get together to talk. Some may wish things were quieter, but if that’s what you’re looking for, well, there’s a space for that too.
Another notable thing about the library is the creative vibe that flows through it. There are a lot of sculptures, trees, artwork, etc. sprinkled throughout. The Boston Post cane was also cool to see. These were given to the oldest resident in a town, and passed on when that person died.
After this visit, we figured we should bee-line it to Meredith so we could get some dinner and some shut-eye.
Gordon Nash Library, New Hampton
This was my second library homecoming in as many days. As a young lad, I spent my senior year of high school at the New Hampton School and it was a pretty positive and formative time in my life. When I was a student, the school and town each maintained independent libraries and I only recall visiting this one a handful of times. I remember it being chock-a-block full and very cramped. That could be the haze of memory and it sure wasn’t the case on this visit.
The first thing I noticed was how open the library felt. The original 1896 building was largely devoted to reading space and large worktables. Because so many of the patrons are now students who need to work together, this type of space usage made perfect sense.
The Gordon Nash Library is now owned by the New Hampton School and is the library for both the school and the town. As the library’s director, Jerrica Blackly, explained to me, the library is open to students, residents, and sojourners.” I counted myself among the latter group and proceeded to explore and enjoy the library.
Throughout the library, there was evidence of both its past, as well as its dual role as a town and school library. For example, the library’s original collection is still publicly shelved, and an ancient safe stands open filled with papers from the town, school, and local grandees.
The library’s art collection is amazing. Fritz Robbins was a long-time resident of the town and the library has many examples of his etchings, paintings, and murals. There are also a number of lovely sketches and paintings by H.A. Rey, of Curious George fame. Having the chance to stumble across amazing artwork in public libraries is a real treat.
I was really impressed by the library, by the story of how it came to serve multiple constituencies, and how the needs of all were balanced. Listening to Jerrica describe the process - not only of forming the hybrid library but also consolidating the collections - was pretty exciting.
Laconia Public Library, Laconia
The Laconia Public Library is beautiful. Serving a community of 17,000 (which balloons to over 350,000 during Bike Week), the library was opened in 1903 with a major expansion in 2004. The antique building, in particular, was stunning. Lots of lovely furniture and fittings, ample spaces for all kinds of uses, and some outstanding artwork.
The new building kept many of the design elements of the antique, which is always nice to see. Finding ways to tie the historic with the contemporary is a challenge but in this case, it was done especially well, with forms and materials from the antique reflected in the expansion.
A few things of note: the sailboat in the children’s area was pretty cool, as was the library’s stained glass. Some of the reading rooms in the old section, particularly one with a large bank of windows on a curving wall, were outstanding.
Meredith Public Library, Meredith
The final library visit before the New Hampshire Library Association presentation was the Meredith Public Library. A community of 6,000, Meredith is right on Lake Winnipesaukee. It’s a fun town and it is fortunate to have a beautiful renovated and expanded library. It wasn’t purposeful, but this was totally a case of saving the best for last.
The library is a smallish brick building on a small rise. Its modest exterior provides few hints of the wonders in store, but once you walk through the doors, wow, it is amazing.
The original antique building opened in 1901 and saw a total renovation during Covid, which was done in conjunction with a major expansion. The floors and woodwork in the old building are something else. One of the nicest little details was some stenciling along with walls at the ceiling. It was there when the building opened and it was really nice to see it. It’s a reminder of the care that can go into design.
The old section features two comfortable reading rooms. Everything in them is top-notch. Fresh paint, restored floors, nice furniture, etc. I spent quite a bit of time in one of these rooms working and really enjoyed the experience.
The new section was a real treat. One of the first things I noticed was the floor. It appeared to be wood, but on closer inspection, it turned out to be carpet. The staff told me that the “boards” could be replaced. They told me that many patrons have commented on the floors. It’s a pretty cool feature.
Another great feature is the use of ramps. They are long and at a reasonable grade that make it possible for people using strollers, walkers, or wheelchairs to explore the whole library without relying on elevators. This use of ramps isn’t one I recall seeing in the past and it was a great example of universal design, which provides accessibility in a completely inclusive way.
Most of the furniture - from seating to the stacks - is modular and mobile. I am lways a fan of flexibility, and the Meredith library has done an outstanding job in this area. The space, overall, feels very open.
There are so many discrete areas in the library. A large formal group meeting room that overlooks the first floor, a ton of smaller study spaces, a brand new teen room, as well as a nifty makerspace. The children’s room was done well. It is walled-off, which helps with noise, but there are large windows so the space doesn't feel cut off from the rest of the library. As was the case at Laconia and Canterbury, there was a tree theme, nice and fitting for a New Hampshire library.
All the staff were welcoming and engaged. I especially enjoyed speaking with the new teen librarian. She was just getting her feet wet and had so much joy and enthusiasm. The same was true of the staff at the desk. Everyone was rightly proud of and excited to talk about their library. The town is so lucky to have a library like this one!
As is often the case, visiting several libraries in a short span of time really lets one see and appreciate how wonderfully different libraries can be. While Meredith might have been the highlight, each one of these libraries had something special. I only wish I’d been able to see Manchester!
The presentation, “Seeing Your Library Through Your Patrons’ Eyes,” went well. It really benefitted from the experience and examples provided by these library visits. It was a treat to visit a few familiar places and explore this part of Library Land!