The closest restaurants to this library are along Henderson Road, where my family and I have eaten many meals out. So in the interest of picking a “neighborhood restaurant,” I chose Neighbor's Deli, where I enjoyed a really great BLT with an abundance of bacon.
I’ve only driven on Lane Road occasionally, and I’d never noticed the library before. It sits on the south side of the road in Thompson Park with its back to the road, and there’s only a modest wood sign indicating the library. The library entrance is off a large parking lot on the far side of the building from the road.
Upon entering, I proceeded straight ahead to the circulation desk to return some books and to let the librarians know I would be taking pictures.
To the left (west) is an area with computers, shelves for nonfiction books, and racks for periodicals. At the far end is a nice corner with comfortable chairs for reading.
Turning around, I headed back toward the circulation desk past the people working at the computers.
At the east end of the library are a great many shelves for fiction books, music CDs, movie & television DVDs, and both fiction and nonfiction books recorded on CD. I was struck by some of the differences here from the two libraries I visited last week and the week before. Compared to the Linden and the Driving Park branches of the Columbus Metropolitan Library, both of which are in distressed urban neighborhoods, this Upper Arlington library in a well-to-do suburban neighborhood had a great many more books and other circulating materials while having quite a bit fewer computers. Socioeconomic factors are clearly at work here as libraries respond to the interests and needs of their community.
Near the library entrance, a lovely rug hangs above stairway that goes down to the library’s Youth Department and a large meeting room on the lower level.
To the left at the bottom of the stairs is a large area for children with toys, games, books, and computers.
Announcements for some of the library’s many programs for youth and children are posted on a bulletin board—activities such as storytimes, craft programs, and baby and toddler sensory play.
To the right at the bottom of the stairs is the large meeting room, where a storytime for children had everyone's attention.
Once back upstairs, I searched the shelves for books on my Amazon wish list—newly revised since I’ve checked out and read so many from my original list over the past 12 weeks. Finding a couple, I settled into a chair by a north window in a little nook surrounded by shelves of DVDs.
The book I’m currently reading, The Library: A Catalog of Wonders by Stuart Kells, a celebration of libraries and books as places and objects of beauty and wonder.
After a wonderful reading time of 90 minutes or so, I headed back to the circulation desk to check out the two books I’d found.
Before leaving the library, I got distracted by the shelves of books offered for sale by Friends of the Library. I ended up buying a like-new hardcover copy of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child for $2 to add to my collection of Harry Potter hardcovers.
As I left the library, I passed by the dedication plaque from 1975 and then stepped out into Thompson Park. Today was snowy and cold, but I could readily imagine returning here on some warm spring day to check out some books and go read in the park.
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