My visit yesterday (7/26) to Dublin Branch of the Columbus Metropolitan Library (CML) completes my original retirement goal of visiting all of the various public libraries and their branches in the Central Library Consortium (plus the Westerville Library)—57 libraries in all. Actually I had already visited this branch in February of 2019 and blogged about it. But that was when the branch was located in a temporary space in a local shopping center while this new library building was being built.
The library is at the intersection of N. High St. and W. North St. near the historic center of Dublin across the Scioto River from the new Bridge Park mixed-use development. It was dedicated in June of 2019 and is (at least for the moment) the newest library in the CML system. At 41,000 square feet on three levels, it is twice the size of the previous library on this site, which was built in 1980 and renovated in 1990. This is the tenth new or completely renovated library to be opened in the CML system since 2014 as part of Phase 1 of a capital improvements plan funded by more than $130 million in bonds and private fundraising. Four other branches are in the works for Phase 2: Karl Road (to be opened later this year), Hilltop, Gahanna, and Reynoldsburg.
The outside of this library is especially striking, so I ended up taking photos all the way around the building. The photo above is from the intersection of N. High and W. North Streets. The photos below show the 4-level Dublin City parking structure with 200 free parking places reserved for library customers when the library is open and the south entrance of the library off a large plaza.
The two photos below show the east side of the building along N. High St. and the north side facing Dublin Veterans Park, with the parking structure behind. The many slanted windows can give the impression in a photograph that the walls are not vertical
The ground slopes along the east wall of the library with ornamental grasses and small rain gardens stair-stepping down along the wall from the plaza level on the south to the east library entrance (below right). This entrance to the library’s lower level also leads to Sweetwater’s Coffee & Tea just inside the doors.
To the right inside the entrance there are several glass-walled meeting rooms, and to the left there are restrooms as well as a long staircase leading to the second level. All along the staircase are landings with study/reading areas facing the windows. There is also an elevator next to Sweetwater’s that goes to all three levels of the library. The third photo below is the view looking down the staircase.
The library was quite busy this Monday late morning, so I had difficulty getting photos without people in them (as per library policy), so when I have included people I have blurred their faces. I was not able to get a good photo of the main information desk and the seating area along the south facing windows on the second level. The boxes for magazines and other periodicals are at the top of the stairs along with a large seating area, and to the west side is an area with shelves for reserved materials and a place to return books. There is a drive up return in the parking structure.
There’s a long staircase up to the third level of the library. On the west side of the stairs to the right of the reserve shelves there's a Homework Help area. For the summer is also being used to display Summer Reading Challenge materials.
This middle level of the library is largely devoted to materials and spaces for children. Bookshelves are a child-friendly height, and there are lots of small tables. As in all other Columbus Metropolitan Libraries, there is a Ready for Kindergarten area with a play school bus.
A low book shelves and a glass wall separate the children’s area from the staircase down to the lower level. Along this wall of shelves there are several cushioned “porthole” seating spots for kids that let them look down on the stairway and out toward N. Hight St. There is also a two-sided fish tank, and a low, round entryway for kids. I had to wait quite some time to get these photos because of all the children bustling around and enjoying the spaces.
An area for smaller children and Reading Readiness programs is at the north end of this level. I was much taken by the two seating nooks built into an a-b-c shelf unit.
The entire northeast corner of this level is a well-lit story time area with walls of floor-to-ceiling windows offering views to the north of the Dublin Veterans Park to the east of the building on N. High St. and across the Scioto River.
I came across a “Baby Shark” book promoting mask wearing while browsing in the children’s picture books. After reading through it, I ended up with that darn song stuck in my head. Luckily there was a book I didn’t know on display by two of my favorite children’s book authors, Russel Hoban and Quentin Blake. I so thoroughly enjoyed Ace Dragon LTD. that it did in that mind-worm completely.
From the children’s area I headed up the long flight of stairs to the adult and teen areas on the third level. There are so many windows on this level, and the views are really wonderful. (Some people say that all the slanted windows remind them of a cruise ship.) To the left at the top of the stairs is a large teen space with bookshelves at both ends, comfortable seating, and a glass wall separating the space from the book stacks.
I like how bookshelves fill the center of the third level, but their low height allows for a spacious feeling with lots of light coming from all the windows. At the south end of this level are a number of computer stations for library patrons as well as comfortable seating with tables along the south windows.
In the southwest corner of this level there is a glass-walled Quiet Room with views toward the plaza and the parking garage.
Books shelves extend to the north, and on the left there are a number of Study Room with glass walls and doors to the library.
At the north end of this level there is a seating area with tables and chairs along the windows. This continues around to the right along the east wall, with several orange couches in the corner area. (The photo on the left below is looking south, while the one on the right hand photo is looking north.)
Below are some of the great views from the third level: looking down on the plaza and the stairs and ramp to the N. High St. & North St. intersection (top); looking east toward N. High St., the new s-curved pedestrian bridge across the Scioto River, and the new Bridge Park development.
Some of the public art on display in the library.
I had been stopping to browse the bookshelves the entire time I was exploring this wonderful new library, so by the time I finished taking pictures—with lots of backtracking trying to get shots without people—I had a heavy armload of books. So it was time to go to one of the comfortable seating areas I’d spotted and sort out the three or four to borrow from the pile I’d picked up. I chose one of the landings off the stairway where there were three chairs and a table. I had a great view toward N. High St. and also down the stairs to Sweetwater’s.
My selections this week included a mystery and three fantasy/science fiction books: a later book in Christopher Fowler’s Bryant & May British mystery series, The Lonely Hour; the second book in Joe Abercrombie’s Age of Madness series, The Trouble with Peace; Nnedi Okorafor’s The Book of Phoenix (a prequel to her World Fantasy Award-winning novel, Who Fears Death); and the Hugo and Nebula awards finalist novel, Gods, Monsters, and the Lucky Peach by Kelly Robson.
When I checked the books out, a librarian said I should be sure to see the green space area between the library and the parking garage. A sign indicated it had been donated by Scotts corporation, which has its headquarters in Marysville.
I’d decided to eat lunch at a small relatively nearby restaurant on Franz Road that I knew had a patio. This let me stop by The Field of Corn on the way.
The Rail specialized in foods, especially beef, locally sourced from Ohio. I had the Crouching Burger, Hidden Bacon—a hamburger with Ohio bacon, pulled pork, crispy wonton, and BBQ Sauce—and an order of crispy fried Brussels sprouts. (The final photo is a reflection of me seated on the patio.)
Having visited all 57 branch libraries, I find I’m far from done. There are two temporary libraries in Columbus—Gahanna and Hilltop—I need to see. The new Karl Road library will be opening soon. And several libraries have received remodeling work since I visited—including the Northwest Library, which was in the process when I visited in 2018; the recently reopened New Albany Branch; and the South High Branch, which was the very first library I visited on Nov. 5, 2018. Then beyond Columbus, I’ve had so many other libraries in Ohio as well as other states recommended to me.
All in all I’ve discovered a real love of libraries in the past two and three-quarters years or so (minus 15 months for COVID)—as well as local, non-chain restaurants. So watch for more blog posts. Unfortunately, this is likely to be the final one to go out by email to subscribers, so you will need to check back directly for new posts.
Blessings to all.
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