Feb
22
2018
The Old Library
Posted in Daily Living 4 Comments
The library that my children and I used to visit is no longer a library.
The library that my children and I used to visit was actually a house.
I think the fact that it was a house is what I loved the most.
I was walking into history every time we walked through the door.
The historic stone house dates to the 1800.
The house was part of the Underground Railroad during the Civil War.
The beauty of the mill work, the latches, and doorknobs, added to its charm.
The historic stone house became the town’s library in 1914.
The library system in our county has many branches.
The main branch is quite large.
It was much too large to bring five small children with me.
The cozy atmosphere of the historic stone house was the perfect place for us to go.
We would park in the small parking lot in the back of the house.
We walked in the back door that was formally used as the back porch.
That former back porch was the children’s section.
That is where we spent our time.
The floors were uneven.
Bookshelves lined the walls.
A few tables with chairs were on the former back porch.
As my children chose books, they made their piles on the table.
I always helped the youngest one.
I would read books to the younger ones while the older ones chose their own books.
It was exciting when they were old enough to leave the children’s section and go into the house.
Windows, that were on the back of the house, now looked through to the other rooms.
I would hear, Mom, as my children discovered they could go in another room and still see me.
It was so cozy in the children’s section on the former back porch.
It was our favorite place to go every other week.
When my children were little, we still used the card catalog to find a book we wanted.
The checkout desk was underneath the beautiful staircase.
The bathroom was at the top of those stairs.
Inevitably, the younger ones would need to go up there during our library trip.
I would wait outside the bathroom door since the doorknobs were old and hard to turn.
I looked at the beautiful molding.
I looked at the hardwood floors.
I looked at the original boot scraper that was still near the front door.
I looked at the heavy glass in each of the windows.
Almost three years ago, the library moved from the historic stone house to a new location.
The Wagons Ho campaign used volunteers with little red wagons to move library books.
Families and individuals formed a wagon train and walked the few blocks to the new library.
The books were moved by the community; it was their library.
The new library is lovely.
It is in the center of town.
It has ample parking.
It is larger, newer, and brighter.
I still miss the old library.
I miss the uneven floors.
I miss the heavy glass in the windows.
I miss looking for books on the former back porch.
I thought about something one of my neighbors said to me years ago.
An elderly woman had died and my neighbor was terribly sad about her death.
I will miss her, my neighbor said.
When an older person dies, it is like a library has burned down.
How right she was!
What treasure we have if we have an older person in our life.
What history we can learn from their stories.
What insight we gain as we hear their answers to our questions.
Our culture seems to seek the new and improved.
We like bigger, faster, and more efficient.
We often do not have time for older, slower, and out of date.
We are putting ourselves at a huge disadvantage.
There is wisdom in the generations that have gone before us.
There is much we can learn from the things they have done.
They are a valuable resource to us.
If only we took the time.
Old doorknobs that were hard to turn, uneven floors, and heavy glass added character.
A beautiful staircase and a fireplace in every room spoke of times gone by.
How I would enjoy talking to someone who remembered that house when it was a home.
How I would hang on their every word as they shared stories of the history there.
Gray hair is a crown of splendor; it is attained in the way of righteousness. (Proverbs 16:31)
Rise in the presence of the aged, show respect for the elderly and revere your God. I am the Lord. (Leviticus 19:32)
Is not wisdom found among the aged? Does not long life bring understanding? (Job 12:12-13)
I thought of the library in the historic stone house, when I drove by the other day.
The house was sold to a private citizen.
Renovations are being done.
The historic stone house will once again be a home for a family.
I could see in the heavy glass windows.
I could see where the many bookshelves used to be.
I could imagine the staircase with a new generation of children running up and down.
I could envision a cozy fire in the many fireplaces.
I have a framed painting of the front door of that historic stone house.
Many years ago, numbered prints were sold to support the library.
I have that print hanging proudly in my family room.
It is a reminder that there is treasure in older things; there is so much we can learn.
I share your affection for that beautiful place…it holds many happy memories for my daughters and me.
Sherie,
The library holds special memories for me as well. It is a place where we spent many happy hours.
Gina
Sorry to hear that library closed down. It was such a cool place to go to with the kids!
Cathy,
The old library is now a private home but thankfully, the new library is only a few blocks away. I am a bit nostalgic for the old building, however. It was a special place.
Gina