The Hilltop Branch Library on S. Hague Ave. was the fifth library I visited after I began my retirement project in 2018 (see LINK). At that time there were rebuilding plans the works, and now almost three years later the new Hilltop Branch will be opened on Sept. 30. I realized I had not visited the temporary location of the branch in the intervening time and that it would be closing soon. So I made a point of visiting it the afternoon of Tuesday, Sept. 7.
The temporary branch is located in the Consumer Square Shopping Plaza at the corner of Wilson Rd. and West Broad St. just to the west of the Hilltop neighborhood. Before visiting the library, I stopped for lunch across W. Broad St. at the #1 Gyro Shoppe, where I got a gyro, fries, and a walnut baklava to eat at one of the tables out front of the restaurant.
The library is in a small storefront just west of a Kroger store. As the librarian noted to me after I introduced myself, I could pretty much see the entire place from there in front of the circulation desk. There were a fair number of people in the place, which kept me from being able to get a photo of the entire place from the entrance. So I tried to photograph the various parts of the library that provide as full a range of services as possible in this compact, temporary location. Just inside the door are the selves for digital media material. And just past the circulation desk are shelves for materials that library patrons have reserved on-line or by phone.
On down the left side of the room are the shelves for books in Spanish as well as the shelves for teen & young adult fiction.
At the far end of the room are a number of computer stations for library users as well as a small Job Help Center.
Coming back along the righthand side of the room—an alcove outlines the children’s area of the library that contains a computer station, a couple of small tables, and both low and tall book shelves for children’s books.
I was pleased to discover one of Mo Willems’ “Elephant & Piggie” books that I had not seen before—Waiting Is Not Easy! I expect I’m not the only one who shares Gerald the Elephant’s frustration with having to wait. I especially enjoyed the surprise from Piggie at the end that Gerald had to wait so long for.
Continuing on the righthand side back toward the library entrance—this section contains the shelves for adult fiction and nonfiction along with displays of new and recommended books. I enjoyed browsing the fiction shelves, but I didn’t select any books to check out because I’m way behind in reading books I checked out on earlier library visits.
I didn’t stay long to read here, at least partly because there were quite a few people making use of this library. (All were wearing masks just as the library required.) I did find this to be a well-lighted, welcoming place set up to serve the needs of the neighborhood while their new library branch is being built. I am definitely looking forward to visiting the new Hilltop Branch Library after it opens later this month.
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