This is a branch library in one of the poorer parts of an already depressed town, so they are wanting to use it as more of a free community activity center, and the community it’s in will need it.
The library is not gigantic. It was formerly a funeral home. But they did an amazing job fixing it up.
Some of the features this library has or will have soon:
- A test kitchen with restaurant-grade equipment.
- A workshop with a tool library for lending.
- A clean-up room featuring a washer, dryer and shower free for use.
- A playground and splash pad for kids.
- A huge patio deck for reading, relaxing or whatever else you might want to do.
- Just a pleasant place to hang out.
And, of course, the expected things like a children’s area, meeting rooms, a teen area, a small computer lab and a small collection of books and DVDs.
Before you start complaining about how “libraries don’t have books anymore!” The book stacks are still a 10-minute drive/bus ride away at the downtown branch. The books aren’t going anywhere. Libraries are more than just books. They are one of the few places the community can get all sorts of resources and a place to access them for free
I absolutely love this. Good stuff, man.
Every public library is a beacon of hope. Its the most true symbol of a civilized society. Each one brings light of knowledge where there would otherwise be darkness of ignorance.
Please pass my thanks to your wife for advancing civilization.
That looks awesome!
A few tips, based on what has worked in our local libraries:
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A story-reading space where parents or caregivers can bring infants and toddlers to listen to books being read outloud. Librarians, parents, and volunteers take turns as book readers. Hugely popular. Absolutely packed them in. One branch even built a hand-painted replica of the “Goodnight Moon” set.
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A separate, private space for nursing mothers.
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If the budget allows it, a phone charging station.
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Space for common government forms. Applications for welfare, disability, voter, and tax forms. If you can get volunteers to help, even better.
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Was going to mention tools, but see you already have it. In ours, you can check out shovels, saws, wrench sets, gardening tools, etc, to take home for a few days. It got so popular they had to move into their own space.
We love our local libraries.
The government forms are genius
That’s already generally a thing in libraries, thankfully. I used to go to get them from the library occasionally when I ran a sole proprietorship business (i.e. I was the only employee) in the 2000s.
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Obviously I love books and complaining about not enough books. But actually who cares. This is badass. Every bullet point cooler than the last. A kitchen? A workshop?? A shower and wash room?!
Actually excellent. Congrats to your wife’s hard work!
Just another wow post, make sure to tell her people from all over the world are grateful for her work:)
I told her just before she left for work this morning about the positive responses she’s received from Lemmings and she was really happy about it. She has worked so hard on this and I’m so impressed with the results. It was the first time I’d seen the inside.
My god the world needs people like your wife. Man. Tell her that I said she’s amazing.
Thanks, I read a bunch of comments to her this morning and I’ll read more to her when she gets home tonight.
Holy crap, that is a legitimately amazing place! Well done by Mrs. Squid!!
P.S. Libraries rock and are true treasures
How many arms does Mrs. Squid have to do all that?
Just the two. It’s an interspecies marriage.
Wow… that’s gorgeous. A real community center…
This is incredible and is going to be such a benefit to the community. Your wife is good people and the world truly needs more libraries and “third places” for everyone in a community to use and feel safe in regardless of their socioeconomic status or education or anything else.
That’s cool as shit, wow. I hope she’s proud!
She’s very proud. And very tired.
As a grumpy skeptic doomer, thank you! Keep doing this. I really hope it helps a great number of people.
Very cool. Seems like it has all the things many modern libraries should pivot to offering where possible.
That is AWESOME! You both must be so proud!
We sure are, thanks!
Elkhart didn’t have the best libraries when I was growing up (80s), but they felt like the only decent lifeline to the outside world, before the internet. I regret not taking better advantage of them, but their selection was extremely old till they moved to a bigger building.
Farmers have a really weird love/hate attitude towards books.
Try to convince your library to get a 3d printer, and do demonstration classes, I think they’ll find people really like them and kids can make projects for their parents or even school (our schools had 0 budget for anything, we legit learned on trash 80s in 1991).
Edit: looking through the pictures, would love to take my kid there, nice.
The main branch already does have a 3D printer! Also a laser cutter, an audio recording booth, sewing machines… all kinds of cool stuff.
That’s really awesome!
I think things like this really help bring the community together, which is what we’ve lost the most over the past 3 decades, we’ve traded being “rich” (ie externally showy) for being comfortable and having a community. We compete with each other and drive ourselves apart.
Looks great fellow Hoosier. Terre Haute needs more of this.
