A Big Happening in my little world took place this week: My neighbourhood got its district library back.
When I first moved to where I live now, 16 years ago, there was a district library only five minutes walk from home for me. A number of years later (I can no longer recall exactly when), they had to leave those premises, and ended up being merged with another district library - too far away and in the wrong direction to serve the purpose for me. At the time, it was actually easier for me to get to the main library downtown (but up a hill), by bus. The main library, however, had by then already got rather "impersonal"... (Searching my blog now, I found this post from September 2012 describing that.) So ever since the nearby small library closed, I've really not frequented any physical library much, but mostly kept to Kindle and Audible + now and then some online library services.
The reason that the district library is now (temporarily) back in my neck of the woods is that the building where they resided over the past X years is now about to be torn down and replaced by a new assisted living facility for elderly people. After that project has been completed, I understand the library will probably be moving back there. But meanwhile, they have now moved into a charming old wooden building some 7-8 minutes walk towards the town centre for me. It used to serve as a preschool, but has now been empty for a while.
They opened on Monday, and yesterday afternoon I thought I'd go and check it out - only to find that on Fridays they close early. So I had to settle for just having a good look around the outside to start with. Good opportunity for that, though, as there were no people about!
I'll be returning to check out the inside another day. Even if I prefer reading on Kindle and "by ear" these days, I'm looking forward to some browsing - and just a place like that within easy walking distance, not least in winter.
It's a really lovely building and I love the way it looks and I bet it's nice inside
ReplyDeleteLet's hope it takes a long time to finish that building and I'll stay there so you can enjoy it. I would love to be within walking distance of our main library because the inside of it is so much fun to just walk around and look at everything and sit and read a book or people watch they also have computers to use and printers to use all kinds of things enjoy
Sandra, I got the impression that the library will be here for like at least 3 years or so. (The newspaper article said "a few years"...)
DeleteI really like that building...it seems to say welcome just by it's color scheme!
ReplyDeleteBarbara, it does indeed look welcoming.
DeleteThis is a lovely place!! I wonder why they will move back after the project is done. Maybe they are only able to rent the building for a limited time. Too bad! It is so lovely and an original setting.
ReplyDeleteGinny, they will be moving back because a new library is included in the plans for that new building. And I guess there is not much chance (for financial reasons, and in this digital age of ours) that they'll go back to having two separate district libraries at this end of town again.
DeleteIt is a pretty building and looks quite inviting. The sculptures in the garden are intriguing! I am looking forward to you telling us about your next visit there, including the inside.
ReplyDeleteMeike, I'm hoping to go back next week, but whether (or when) I'll be able to also snap photos of the interior will of course depend on the situation...
DeleteIt is a nice building and I hope will be somewhere warm and welcoming when you feel like a short walk on a cold, crisp winter day. Look forward to seeing photos of the interior too.
ReplyDeleteYour comments have made me think - I'm not sure if we even have a library in town! We must have, but I can't recall ever seeing it.
Carol, your comment brings the novel "The Shadow of the Wind" by Carlos Ruiz Zafón to mind for me - involving a secret library, "the Cemetery of Forgotten Books"... ;-) (Read long ago, so I had forgotten both the title and the name of the author by now - but was able to trace it with some google searches...)
DeleteHow super that the library is such a short walk from your home. Do they have programs there? I like the green grassy park and the two sculptures you show.
ReplyDelete