Powell Branch - Delaware County District Library

I remember reading an article back in November about a library levy passing in Delaware County that would allow the construction of a new branch library in the city Powell. The current 5,000 square foot building was built in 1993, and population growth since then—from 2,100 to more than 13,500 people—has far outpaced the library’s capacity.  So I decided this morning I wanted to see this small library.

When I looked at the map of partner libraries on the Columbus Metropolitan Library website, I realized the Powell Branch was not shown and that the Delaware County system actually consisted of four branches. After counting up branches for all the partner libraries, I realized there are actually 53 different libraries for me to visit in the Columbus metro area,13 more than the 40 I’d originally thought. 

The Powell Branch library is in a lovely setting in Library Park.

This library is closer in size to the libraries I remember as a child. But I don’t recall near so many windows and so much natural light. The children’s areas to the left and straight ahead from the entrance were quite busy when I got there mid-morning. In the article about the tax levy, the library director was quoted as saying that “if there is a good-size children’s program going on (at the Powell branch), everyone’s involved in it whether you want to be or not.” And indeed the children’s excited voices carried throughout the library.

I began my visit by walking around the library taking pictures and then searching the shelves for various books on my want list. I noted special sections for juvenile fiction and a corner area for teens. (At the Powell Branch website you can do your own “Google walk” through the library.)

To the far right from the library entrance there’s an area for periodicals as well as a very nice separate room for computers that has lots of windows.

After picking out a couple of books to borrow, I settled in to read for a while at a table about as far from the busy children’s section as I could get.

Sometime before noon, everyone must have headed off to lunch, for it was suddenly “library quiet,” so I kept reading for another half hour or so.  Then I took a couple more pictures of the children’s area.

 

When I'd finished reading, I had the librarian check out my two selections.

Before leaving I stopped at the books for sale in the library entrance but didn’t find anything to buy. Then I stepped out of the library into the park to find the cloudy sky just beginning to clear.

From the library, I drove around exploring Powell and eventually decided to have lunch at Local Roots, a restaurant specializing in locally grown, locally sourced foods. The BLT on Beehive Bread Company’s Toasted Wheat Bread with a side order of Bacon Poached Brussel Sprouts provided a great topper to an excellent morning.