Whiting Public Library, Whiting, Indiana
After visiting the Obama Presidential Center branch of the Chicago Public Library, Rachael opted to go on a quick road trip before picking up her badge at the ALA Annual Conference. That road trip continued south from Chicago into Indiana. As soon as she crossed over the border into Indiana, Rachael stopped at the Whiting Public Library.
Whiting Public Library is a Romanesque Revival-style building that was built from a Carnegie grant in 1905, on land donated by John D. Rockefeller. It was originally a smaller library with a main wing and two mirroring side rooms with beautiful fireplaces. In the mid-90s, a 3,280-square-foot expansion was added. This allowed for additional storage, staff space, and an elevator. Most recently, within the last couple of years, some remodeling upgraded the space indoors.
During her walk-through, the renovations seemed pretty seamless. On the main floor, visitors are first greeted by the main service desk. The two mirroring side rooms are readily accessible, and they seem to be reading rooms for patrons to relax and stay a while. There is a study room in one of these rooms. As you continue into the space, adult materials are sprawled throughout. There’s also a food pantry, plenty of workspaces, and computer & printing services. The teen area is in the back corner of this floor. The area is set up in a way to allow for some privacy and be a safe space for teens.
What Rachael noticed and impressed her the most was how the library’s Library of Things was displayed. Usually, the Library of Things is displayed through the use of “dummy boxes.” The Whiting Public Library uses laminated card stock to display their items and whether they were available. Rachael liked this because it looked like their collection was expansive, yet didn't take up a lot of valuable space on the public floor.
Rachael continued her explorations downstairs. This is where she discovered some accessible restrooms and the children’s department. The children’s department was decked to the nines for Summer Reading. This year’s dinosaur theme looks to be a lot of fun. Rachael got to speak to the children’s librarian about what programming they had in store. This librarian seemed so excited to show off what they had planned for their patrons! The children’s room had plenty of materials to browse through, fun summer reading prizes on display, and a substantial hangout spot with tables and chairs.
Rachael went back upstairs to see if she could grab a library card (she collects them) and to see if she could get any information on the community from one of the adult services librarians. This is where she met the local history librarian, and he was a wealth of information! He was the one who informed Rachael about the renovations and gave some information on the community. Rachael especially loved learning about the secret third fireplace that was discovered during renovations. Apparently, this space hidden away behind a false wall was a “gentleman’s lounge” once upon a time. Some other fun tidbits were revealed, but Rachael recommends that you visit the library for yourself to learn more about them.
Rachael had at least one more library to visit this day, so it was time to move on! She enjoyed seeing all the modern changes to the library and getting a chance to spend time with these librarians. From its services to the continual changes being made to the library, it’s evident that the staff works hard in providing top-notch care to its community. From 1905 to today, the Whiting Public Library is making a positive impact!