Lincoln Highway: Rock Falls Library District
Stopping by my first Illinois library on this trip!
It was a very lovely day when I stopped in to visit this library - and some of the loveliness was inside!
I’m always happy about seeing libraries advertising their services and programs. And look at this nice big sign outside! “Go for the Gold: Read!” This is their summer reading program theme, and there are a ton of decorations and program ideas across the library. Encouraging patrons (especially kids!) to read more books, and to connect with different books, is always a good idea!
(I loved summer reading programs when I was a kid. I know: what a surprise! Sometimes summer reading programs lead to patrons becoming librarians.)
I love programs that can be done on your own schedule! Sometimes patrons are busy, families running in a bunch of different directions, and they want to do library fun but don’t have time in that moment. Providing this kind of craft program project lets everyone participate without worrying about being there on a schedule. And: crafts are fun! Good to take home and get them worked on.
One of the first things you see when you come inside is this very cool ceiling! It’s so high! It’s so open! And painted blue, so it looks like the sky, with names of famous authors painted all around. I think it looks lovely for itself - but is it also a readers advisory tool? I can just see a patron: “hmmmm….I need a book, not sure where to start. what’s this? Oh, now I need a book by Edgar Allen Poe!” (I mean, I have no evidence of this; it’s just a hypothesis.)
And look just under that big open skylight ceiling - all those lovely book shelves! Seeing the kid book shelves that are filled with books is good. And they are nicely sized for kids to access. And then you can see the adult bookshelves back behind them, also filled with nice books.
A kid tech zone!! (I’m not inquiring about the copyright clearance in using an animated character, and not saying his name here so I don’t draw the attention of online tools looking around. Just saying: be careful to follow copyright laws. Copyright is one of my areas, so I’m always paying attention!)
I love that kids have their own area, and computers, and they are ready to do some great things here in the library!!
And look at this little chair/desk combination! You have a single seat, with a desk that people can work on individually. And then to make it feel more private, and probably helping people to focus better, that little half circle wraps around the chair and desk. I’ve never seen furniture like this in the library, and I think it’s wonderful!
All these books, all these fun things, it is making me want to snuggle up somewhere and read more book. Maybe today is a good day for everyone to dive in and read some fun new things!