Lincoln Public Library, Lincoln, Rhode Island

A sunny August afternoon saw Greg flying solo as he visited a couple of Rhode Island libraries. This is focused on the Lincoln Public Library in Lincoln. The population was 22,529 according to the 2020 census. It’s located along the Blackstone River, which powered textile mills in the late 19th century.

The library is located next door to the High School. During the school year, LOTS of kids come to hang out. According to Assistant Director Cassie, they are mostly well-behaved. There’s plenty of parking and a really nice seating area with sunshades, benches, and a picnic table, as well as a little free art-supplies library. There are also two benches in front of the library.

The library is a single-story, red-brick building that was opened in 1986. It was designed by Graham Gund of Boston in a Modernist style. An expansion was added to the library in 2013 to add the children’s area.

Entering the library, the circulation desk is to the left. Before you, and to your left, is the main collection. The children’s area is in a separate room ahead to the right. There is also a program room that can accommodate 65 people.

While there are few completely separate spaces, the library has done a great job of carving out discreet areas. Particularly the periodicals and a really lovely sitting/study area. The view from that study space is really nice; it’s into what appears to be a forest, even though it’s just the library’s small lot. There are also areas for teens and technology; however, these are not as discreet.

Speaking of technology, this library has many public computers. One of the especially nice things about the computers is that all of the screens are different colors! The library has a printer and copier (of course), but what made them notable was a small dish of coins at the reference desk.

Finding ways to offer those services at no cost is challenging, but more libraries need to provide them. We’ve seen libraries that offer a set number of pages for free, or even free across the board, but this is the first time we’ve seen this approach. Hats off!

Wandering around the library, one of the most striking features is the sheer size of the collection. This is not a large library or a big town; looking at the collection, you would never know that. A few highlights include a massive number of audiobooks, a ton of movies, plenty of video games, and a small Library of Things and music collection. A seed library, too!

One of the real highlights has to be Childrens. This is in a separate space, and there’s a lot to see and do. The stuffed animal collection is gigantic. They line the tops of shelves, dangle from the ceiling, and reside in toy boxes. There are also plenty of computers and tablets available. Despite the library’s small footprint, Childrens has a separate programming room, always a nice feature.
As Greg was preparing to leave, he noted a few other features of the library. Shreddy the Shark was certainly... interesting. The Rollator Walkers were excellent. (It’s nice the library is just one floor, which makes accessibility much easier). The library is in excellent condition, with no strong signs of wear and tear.

This was a nice visit to a fine library. There were plenty of staff, and everyone Greg spoke with was friendly and helpful. It was busy when he arrived, with a large group leaving, a few families, and some solo workers scattered about. It was not what he expected when he pulled up - it was better!