Tuesday morning, August 27, I made my second library visit in Lakeland, FL, this time to the Main Library located on the east side of Lake Morton—one of the many lakes that give the town its name. I arrived just before 10 am to find the parking lot between the library and the Polk (County) Museum of Art to be nearly filled. On my way in from the parking lot, I noticed several people enjoying the very nice little cafe just inside the library entrance.
The Lakeland Public Library first opened in this location on Lake Morton in 1927. The present building was dedicated in 1966 and has been renovated and expanded several times since. Lake Morton is noted for its population of 70 or so resident swans, many of which are descended from a pair of Royal Swans presented to the city by Queen Elizabeth in 1957. The swan is the symbol of the city, and swans are protected by law in Lakeland—even to the point of having speed bumps and “swan crossing” signs along Lake Morton Drive. Hence the swan sculpture that is part of the library sign along Lake Morton Drive is most appropriate.
My initial view from just inside the library doors offered but a glimpse of how extensive this library is. The Friends of the Library Sale shelves are to the left, and to the right are the circulation desk and the shelves displaying new books.
A boisterous noise drew me to a hallway to the left, where I found two large murals of scenes from Lakeland, including swans on Lake Morton.
The source of all the noise proved to be Story Time just getting under way in a meeting room off the hall. The room was almost filled with excited children and their parents.
The hallway turns to the right where there are various displays and then an entrance into a very large children’s area.
The children’s area includes a a very nice separate area for new readers and a number of computer stations specifically for children’s use.
The children’s area opens up to several different sections of book shelves along with tables and chairs, Windows along a side street and toward Lake Morton bring in lots of natural light and also give a view of the lake.
A doorway off the children’s area leads to a nicely decorated Teen Room (behind the New Readers wall). The room has comfortable chairs, a number of computer stations for teens, and a large collection of books and media for teens.
The door at the far end of the Teen Room opens into the adult areas of the library. The picture below shows that door from the large open area at the center of the library.
Below are several views of this central area—one looking toward a Training Room and two Tutor Rooms, one looking tower the Fiction stacks, one looking down the fiction stack toward the far northern end of the room, and one looking back toward the Teen Room.
Off of this large open room there are several seating/study area with windows offering views of Lake Morton through trees covered with Spanish moss. I decided that I would pick one of these for a reading spot later.
In the central area of the library back toward the entrance is a large area with computer stations that were nearly all in use that Tuesday morning.
As I wandered exploring the library I came across a number of Tutor and Study Rooms.
There are also several special purpose rooms including a very inviting glass-walled learning space called The Commons and a Special Collections room that now houses the Lakeland History materials. These include a fascinating 8-part Origins of Lakeland photo series (that is also available on line at http://www.lakelandgov.net/departments/library/lakeland-history-room/ ).
As with my visit to the Larry R. Jackson Branch Library the day before where I couldn’t check out any books, I brought along my Kindle so I could find a comfortable spot to do some reading in the library. I decided on a chair near The Commons and facing toward Lake Morton. I daresay this is one of the best views in all my library visits so far, rivaled only by the view from the Rio Rancho, NM, library this past December.
When it came time to go get some lunch I headed back toward the entrance and was waylaid by the Friends of the Library Book Sale wall, where I found a hardcover copy of a a Harlan Coben thriller from my Amazon Wish List for only 25¢.
I had originally planned to drive from the library to a nearby diner, but when I Googled directions to the library I noticed a carry-out fish place right across the street. Mr. Fish has been in business and run by the same family since 1968. On such a beautiful day I just couldn’t pass up the chance to sit at a picnic table with a view of Lake Morton and eat a yummy fish sandwich with fries and coleslaw. (And I nearly tripped over some of the native wildlife as I walked across the street to the get lunch.)
What a perfectly lovely way to spend an August morning and lunch hour in the Swan City of Lakeland, FL!
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