From good to a great library

The library is one of my favorite places. It is a sanctuary away from home, a place that is quiet, cozy and filled with my favorite things: books.

Its board of directors and staff are always seeking to make the library better and to serve the public more comprehensively. My only complaint is the current facilities are too small.

I don’t know if the board will decide to move the library to the former Lincoln School, or if elected officials will agree to the proposition. I do know, however, I am very excited about plans for enlarging the facility and expanding services. A good library is one of the best measures of how progressive a city is and may help newcomers decide to make Creston their new home.

I don’t know anything about the library’s budget, very little about its remodeling plans and expanded services or the possibility for occupancy of the old facility by other city or county entities.

As a citizen, I really try to withhold judgment about policies and decisions I know little or nothing about. Those who are concerned about decisions by public officials are to be admired for making the effort to become better informed, but those who express opinions without knowledge don’t really impress or influence anybody.

As a frequent visitor to the library, I do have an opinion about the inadequacy of the current facility. One has to be familiar with the library to see how every inch of space is being utilized, often for several different functions. It takes a lot of balancing on the part of the staff to make it work.

There are only a few computers available for public use and they are in the middle of other functions of the library:  Some are located in the children’s area where kids are interacting with parents and library staff as they read and select books. Others are located in a space upstairs and are surrounded by book racks. That area also holds a variety of newspapers, but there is limited space available for readers.

As pleasant as the library is, there is a sense of everything being crowded together. A designated room for computers would be a dramatic improvement, and more space for readers to enjoy their books, papers and magazines would be wonderful. Additional space for meetings, research projects, after-school programs and a nearby garden/park area would be terrific.

Despite the lack of space, the library staff do the very best they can and are always happy to accommodate any requests. They have made space available for members of the community who gather during the morning for coffee and visiting. This space, however, is in the same room as the genealogy section so it, like so many areas of the library, does double duty. Or actually triple duty; this is where business meetings are also held.

One result of the community coffee meetings is the parking lot is often full during the morning hours. Even at other times, especially when poor weather keeps people indoors, the lot is often overflowing with library consumers throughout the day. I’m always glad to see a full parking lot — except when I can’t find a place to park.

The library board has been fund raising and planning a remodeling project for some time. It seems to me the area currently occupied by the library and parking lot has severe limitations, but plans are to add 17,000 square feet to the current facility. According to reports, if they could move to the former Lincoln School building there would be a total square footage of nearly 24,000 available for use, plus additional space for parking.

I’m excited about the idea of the library moving into a larger facility with so many options for programs and parking. And I really like the idea of it being located in a neighborhood where several children gather for their school buses. The library is a wonderful place for families, and a safe haven for children whose parents aren’t home when school is out. Instead of kids sitting alone in front of TV at home, they could find refuge and reading pleasure in a larger, multi-purpose community library.

We have a good library now. How nice it would be to have a great library. I admire those people who are trying to make Creston’s library the very best it can be.