When I decided to visit the Southeast Branch of the Columbus Metropolitan Library (CML) on Hamilton Rd. in Groveport this week, I did some looking on Google Maps for a nearby local restaurant. All the ones nearby on Hamilton Rd. were national chains, but just a bit north on Hamilton and then left a few hundred yards on Winchester Pike there was a small barbecue place called OD on BBQ. The reviews were pretty good, and there were indications that it had recently moved to this location. What I didn’t know was that it’s actually a food trailer parked behind a building undergoing renovation. There were covered picnic tables, but with the temperature at about 26 degrees, I ended up eating my brisket sandwich with a side of corn pudding in the car.
As cold as it was, I ate quickly and proceeded directly to the library. The clock tower to the right of the entrance is a rather distinctive feature. The entrance doors lead to an entryway with doors to two meeting rooms off to each side. Going straight ahead through the library doors reveals a large square airy atrium space with white-painted beams and lots of natural light from clerestory windows all around. The circulation desk is just to the left, and there are book displays, tables with chairs, and cushioned chairs placed throughout the space.
The lighted ceiling with white beams and clerestory windows is an especially striking feature of this library and truly a wonderful space. To the left are the fiction shelves, and to the right are a great many shelves for nonfiction as well as audiobooks, DVDs, and CDs.
Straight ahead at the far end of the atrium space is an area with a large number of computer stations for customers along with a Quiet Study room to the left.
Back toward the library entrance doors there’s a very nice display of new books and Quick Picks” along with some comfortable seating. I got distracted here checking what all was available here.
As I explored the library I noted several pieces of artwork on display. Below are a couple of paintings that especially caught my eye.
The library’s children’s area is to the right from the entrance just past the New Books display. The Kindergarten Readiness space indicates that this library is in the Groveport Madison School District.
A wall of windows to the west brings in lots of light for the children's bookshelves, computer stations, and activity tables. I settled into one of the cushioned chairs by the windows to enjoy the two new (to me) Mo Willems Elephant & Piggie books I found on the shelves.
Continuing to explore, I stopped in the Homework Help area to note which college banners they had on display—Wright State, Alabama, Connecticut, Harvard, Ohio State, Bowling Green, Howard, and Otterbein.
Next to the Homework Help area between it and the fiction stacks, there’s a small, but inviting Teen Area. It has a very nice collection of Teen Fiction, three computer stations, and comfortable seating.
I started my browsing in the Teen Fiction as I have a number of such books on my want list. Then I continued into the Adult Fiction, where I noted that, while there were not separate sections for mysteries or science fiction, there was a section for Teen and Adult African American Fiction.
As usual, I’d picked out way too many books for today, so I took them out into the center atrium area and sat down to try to choose two or tree out of the seven that caught my eye. I ended up with the three below. I’ve read 5-6 books by Seanan McGuire recently and enjoyed every one, so I chose a ghost story by her that was new to me. The Shadowed Sun is the sequel to a book I read some time ago by by the prize-winning black science fiction writer, N. K. Jemisin. And The Fall is a typically massive 900-page science fiction novel by one of my favorite authors, Neal Stephenson.
Choices in hand, I headed to a far corner of the library where I had spotted several comfortable chairs with large windows to two sides. I settled in there across from the periodicals rack and spent the next hour reading before having to go back out into the cold and snow to head for home.
[A note on this post: Searching with Google I never was able to determine when this library was built. I bet the librarian would know. I have no idea why I didn't ask her while I was there. Check out this article.]
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