(Library visited on Wednesday, March 11, 2020)
Three weeks ago I set off to visit the Main Library in Lancaster, OH, little knowing that it would be my last diner & library exploration for the foreseeable future. (I think I have put off writing about the visit because of how much I am missing the weekly visits I’ve been making to new libraries for the last year and a half.) Having been to all five of the smaller branch libraries, this visit would complete my explorations of the libraries in the Fairfield County District Library system.
I’d done some research on Google Maps and decided I would stop for a late breakfast at a small restaurant in a neighborhood on the west side of Lancaster, Nick’s Restaurant. When I arrived I discovered it was just past the time they were serving breakfast, so I settled for a meatball sub and fries, which turned out to be pretty tasty. Nick's definitely had the feel of a neighborhood place.
The Main Library is on N. Broad St. across from the First Presbyterian Church. The first library in Lancaster was established in 1833 with individuals purchasing stock. It became a free library in 1878, and in 1898 the library moved to City Hall. The present building was dedicated in 1980, renovated in 2000, and again in 2013. Just inside the library entrance is the Books & Such bookstore operated by the Friends of the Library.
The entry lobby on the first floor of the library is dominated by a large curving circulation desk with several self-checkout stations. Behind the counter there are work spaces for librarians as well numerous carts for books to be resolved. To the back of the library beyond the work spaces are bookshelves for adult fiction. To the right of the counter is a large room with shelves for DVDs and Music CDs.
To the left from the entrance and behind an information desk, there is a bright Teen Zone with study tables and a nice collection of Teen Books. The Zone claims to be open “twenty four seven three sixty five* — *except when we are closed.”
Just beyond the Teen Zone there are shelves for New Arrivals.
Proceeding farther back past the circulation desk, I came to an elevator and then a room with a large genealogy and local history collection. Much of one wall of bookcases is devoted to local family histories.
The Adult Fiction shelves line the back wall of the library’s first floor. I spent considerable time browsing through them before I picked out Sean McGuire’s The Girl in the Green Silk Gown to add to Tomi Adeyemi’s Children of Virtue and Vengeance that I’d picked off the New Arrivals shelf in the Teen Zone. Both are sequels of books I’d checked out during earlier library explorations.
Also in this area back on the other side of the circulation desk there is a room with a large collection of Audio Books.
Having browsed through this floor of the library and found two books to borrow, I proceeded to the elevator, where I discovered I still had three more floors to explore. The signs in the elevator advertise some of the many library programs that, unfortunately, are on hold during this time of quarantine and social distancing. I'm sure both the dogs and the kids miss their Dog Tales reading time.
I decided to head first to the Lower Level. An open space with a couple of rocking chairs and side tables divides the room, with a wall of reference shelves and the computer stations to one side and a wall of periodical racks and the Adult Nonfiction shelves to the other.
There are several computer stations for children along the center part of the wall toward the street. This end of the room is set up for older children with additional computers and the books for early elementary school students.
When I saw this cozy reading corner, I figured this was the ideal place to sit back and enjoy a new Mo Willems book for the day, which turned out to be Nanette’s Baguette.
While picking out the Mo Willems book, I found myself drawn by the the abundance of picture books on display in the library and ended up picking out three more that looked especially good. I loved the flyleaf lead in to Weird Al Yankovitch’s My New Teacher and Me: “Wen the irresistible force of Billy’s unrestrained creativity meets the immovable object of Mr. Booth’s fixed worldview, one thing is obvious: someone is going to learn a lot this school year!” David Weisner’s colorful story of two artistic lizards named Art & Max is a truly wonderful exploration of the question, What is Art? And Lemony Snicket’s The Dark is an intriguing book that addresses fear of the dark.
Before getting on the elevator to go to the third floor, I looked back to find a very large tiger was looking over my shoulder.
As the sign in the elevator notes, the third floor has a gallery and meeting rooms. There was a large gathering of early childhood teachers on break from a meeting, so I did not explore the spacious, open gallery. I did peak into the large board room off to one side.
Having explored all four floors of the library, I headed back down to the lower level to settle into one of the rocking chairs and read until it was time to head back home.
With the completion of this visit I would have just six libraries to go to complete my goal of visiting all of the public libraries in the Central Library Consortium—although I had already added return visits to libraries that have been remodeled (like the Franklinton branch) along with the rest of the Licking County District Library branches as well as several libraries in Dayton. But here I am three weeks later unable to visit any libraries because of Gov. DeWine’s stay-at-home order and the fact that all of the libraries are closed.
On March 11 when I went to Lancaster, we were still one day away from the announcement of school closures in Columbus and two days from the announcement of library closures. On March 13 I went to the Upper Arlington Library in search of DVDs and some additional books for this time of being at home. When I got there, I saw people were coming out with armloads of books and other materials. I doubt any of us expected to end up under a stay at home order into May or beyond. This is a difficult time for everyone. And I know I’m not the only one to miss being able to go to the library.
Until I am able to continue my library explorations and this blog, I wish you all the best. Stay safe, stay healthy, and wash your hands. — Skip Jackson
