Libraries

A Library and Cat Yoga

My friend and I spent a day in Cannon Falls, a small-town east of Northfield with about 4,400 people. The town has a trailhead for the Cannon Valley Bike Trail so we are very familiar with the town. We have been there often. After bike rides, one tends to look around the surrounding towns, and occasionally go out to eat, or out for ice cream!

On this winter day we were just exploring the town itself. There were two shops in particular we wanted to check out, but they happened to be closed on Monday and Tuesday. However, we found two other fun stores we had not been to, and there are two great antique shops to browse around in.

A pretty wreath hanging on the door to the library, to invite you in.

While walking up and down main street I mentioned to my friend that the library was really nice. I had been in it a few times. (I like libraries and tend to check them out.) It’s a wonderful library for a small town. This library is unique in that it has a fireplace which makes a cozy place to sit and read a book, or just sit a spell. We decided to go in and take a look.

The lovely sitting area by the fireplace in the Cannon Falls Library.

After enjoying the fire, we looked around. There is creative children’s area, and every time I’ve been in, there is a simple kid’s craft, in a baggie, to take home.

In the community room I noticed a guy rearranging chairs. On the big screen a gal sat poised on a chair with the title Chair Yoga. So I asked about it and he told me chair yoga was a weekly occurrence, about 30 minutes in length, and it was about to start. I looked at my friend and we smiled and nodded in agreement that we’d join in on this chair yoga session.

With the two of us, we made a group of six. We practiced with some friendly women. They explained the not-so-good quality video was taken of the regular instructor who was out on medical leave, so they just taped her leading the practice. You really couldn’t hear her, but we could follow along by watching her.

I didn’t get a photo from the video of the cat, but I dug up this one of our playful, family pet kitty from years ago.

And it was comical. The instructor’s cat was very much a part of the scene. He was very active and fun to watch. He’d jump up on her, crawl over her shoulder and down her leg, jump back down, pounce around the room, and jump back up on her, and then back down to the floor, batting his paws at her feet. This went on the entire time, and she continued to do yoga. It added a special, humorous dimension to this chair yoga practice.

Thirty minutes later we said good-bye to our new friends, who gather at the library three times a week for some form of exercise…a great idea for a library we thought.

We headed off to lunch, smiling all the way…what a serendipitous moment at the Cannon Falls Library…we’re so glad we went with “the flow.”

Steensland Hall

The St. Olaf College campus is a beautiful place to walk. It has lots of sidewalks, mature trees and magnificent buildings to look at. I took a walk up there last week, planning to stop in at a holiday open house in the newly renovated (well, two years ago now) Steensland Hall.

Steensland Library (now Hall) was built on St. Olaf Campus in 1902. It was the third building to be built on campus. Old Main was the first in 1877, then the Ytterboe Dorm (originally called Men’s Dormitory) was built in 1901. Ytterboe was torn down to make room for the student center, Buntrock Commons, which opened in 1999. Both Old Main and the Steensland Hall are on the National Register of Historic Places.

Old Main, the first building built on St. Olaf campus – built in 1877.

Steensland Hall, a smaller, quaint, Neoclassical Revival-style building was built close to Old Main. It began as a library then morphed into several purposes over the years, after a new, larger library was built. Then, the Steensland library sat vacant from 2001 until its renovation in 2021.

An old card catalog sits in the lower level. It has the original library cards in it, but is no longer used.

It was renovated to house the Hong Kirekegaard Library…the largest collection of books (outside of Denmark) by and about the Danish philosopher Søren Kirekegaard. Scholars come to St. Olaf to do their research here, since the books cannot be checked out. The lower level provides cubicles for visiting scholars.

When I walked through the door, I was greeted by a former acquaintance from when I worked up on the hill. Her first words were, “There’s a blast from the past.” I smiled, and she took me on a tour.

Upstairs, which is the entry level, there are a couple of offices, many bookshelves, and a big round oak table in the middle, welcoming people to come and sit a spell, and enjoy the charming and inviting space.

The building has lots of windows, so it’s very light and bright inside. There is a beautiful glass dome in the ceiling which was damaged in the infamous 2006 hailstorm, but the restorer was able to find the original glass provider and acquire more glass to repair the dome.

The classroom in the lower level of Steensland Hall.

Of course, the building is now all up to code. There is an elevator, and a handicap assessable bathroom on the lower level, in addition to the work area cubicles, a classroom, and a small kitchen.

Student workers put together this creative tree from books, for the holiday open house.

I was glad to finally have a chance to go inside and see this small, little building that has so much character.

And I enjoyed a Christmas cookie too.

Nerstrand’s Library

In the very, very small town of Nerstrand, Minnesota (population 279 in 2021) there is a quality meat market called Nerstrand Meats & Catering. It has been a mainstay of the community since 1890. Attached to the market is a recently opened café called Boot’s & Lu’s.

The owners of the meat market opened this cute café serving one lunch option daily (a different option each day, of course), and has limited hours. Nerstrand also has a convenience store and gas station, a couple of churches, a woodworking business, grain elevator, elementary school, a post office. The wonderful Nerstrand Big Woods State Park is two miles down the road.

The building next door to Boot’s & Lu’s is city hall, and within city hall there is a newly created library that recently opened, also with limited hours. As I was going to Boot’s & Lu’s one day, I noticed the library sign hanging in the window of city hall was turned to “open”. I have always liked libraries, so I was excited to step inside to take a peek.

A portion of the children’s library space.

Immediately a woman came out of her office to welcome us. She was pleasant, but I didn’t get her name or job title. She welcomes all who walk through the doors, and turned on the library lights for us.

One area of the older reader’s sections.

We browsed around. There was a nice-sized children’s section, and traditional books were shelved in different areas on the main floor. There seemed to be a very good selection of books.

The boxes are books that need to be sorted.

No library cards are needed. The honor system is used. You fill out the library card that is tucked in the back of the book and leave it in the check-out basket. There is no due date, you return the book when you are finished reading it. There are no late fees.

Our new friend continued to talk a bit about the history of the building. It was built in 1908 and is on the National Register of Historic Places. The city hall housed city offices, some fire equipment, and a jail.

She unlocked a door in the back room to show us the original jail cell with bars still on the window. The old fire station was housed in the building next door (Boot’s & Lu’s).

This photo hangs in the hallway of Nerstrand’s city hall. It is a photo of Osmund Osmundson, a Norwegian immigrant who is credited for founding Nerstrand, incorporated in 1897. He was also one of the four founders of St. Olaf College.

We were impressed with this little library in this little town…a big step above “Little Free Libraries”. Plus, we had our own delightful guide, willing to share a lot of information about a place she cares about.

A quote on the wall in the children’s section of the library.

Libraries are a gift to any community. I have come to love and appreciate Northfield’s public library.

The Northfield Carnegie Library was built in 1910, with a major addition built in 1985, and renovated in 2015-16.

I think of Andrew Carnegie, whose mission was to provide libraries to many communities throughout the world. A total of 2,509 Carnegie libraries were built between 1883 and 1929.* Northfield’s library is a Carnegie library.

“His [Andrew Carnegie] philanthropic interests centered around the goals of education and world peace. One of his lifelong interests was the establishment of free public libraries to make available to everyone a means of self-education.” **

Over the years I have used a variety of our library’s helpful services. I realize my list is a fraction of what libraries have to offer.

My list includes:
When our grandkids lived with us a for a few months, we went to weekly children’s story time. And after story time, I took them to the children’s area and they picked out books to check out and bring home.
I’ve attended author’s talks at the library.
I’ve had help with my computer from a librarian.
I’ve had help finding books and audio books for myself from a librarian.
I’ve had help finding children’s books from a librarian. I have gotten ideas for children’s game.
I’ve found nooks to sit in and write for a spell. It's a peaceful place.
I can order a book from home and the librarian will find it and put it on the hold shelf for me...I just stop in and pick it up! Quick and easy.
The library offers daily newspapers to read.

Tromsø City Library and Archive was opened in *2005*. It was designed by the Norwegian architect Kjell Beite

When we were in Tromsø Norway, we visited the public library. Tourist information for Tromsø includes a visit to the library. It has a beautiful, architectural design. We did purposely walk to see it, and then one day, when we needed a place to rest while walking around town, we found shelter in this beautiful public library. It felt so right, so peaceful. It was comforting to know we had a place to sit for a spell, and to get a drink of water, use the restroom.

Buckham Memorial Library, est.1930. Faribault, Minnesota

There was a seed exchange program at the library in Tromsø. I’ve seen the same seed exchange program in Faribault’s Buckham Memorial Library. What a wonderful idea.

On a side note: In Svalbard Norway, far above the arctic circle, there is a Global Seed Vault, that stores seeds to provide “security of the world’s food supply against the loss of seeds in genebanks due to mismanagement, accident, equipment failures, funding cuts, war, sabotage, disease and natural disasters.” ***

Libraries: the concept is appealing… and I believe, it’s called pooling and sharing our resources!

*Wikipedia: Carnegie Libraries 
**Wikipedia: Andrew Carnegie
***Wikipedia: Global Seed Vault

Libraries

I like libraries. I like the looks of them. I like the smell of them. I like their offerings…books (and more). Our library in Northfield is wonderful. I walked out of the library the other day with an overwhelming sense of gratitude for our city library.

The updated entrance to the library (2016).

I go to the library often…to borrow books, and CD’s, and even DVD’s for myself. My husband does too. I am in the habit of making my request online, then having the librarians find the item -at our library or another connected to the library system – and put it on hold for me until I go pick it up.

When the grandkids lived with us, we went to the library weekly for story time. Now I get to be the storyteller over Zoom. So now, I go to the library weekly to pick out children’s books for my story time. The children’s librarians are always willing to help me and I usually leave with about 10-12 books. I come home, read them to make sure I like them, and then let the kids choose which ones we’ll read. It’s great fun.

Inside the original part of the Northfield library.

The other day I checked out an audio book and knew I wouldn’t be able to return the CD’s on the due date, so the librarian extended the due date for me.

A corner view of the original library building.

The library in Northfield is a Carnegie library. A Carnegie library is a library built with money donated by a Scottish-American businessman and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie. A total of 2,509 Carnegie libraries were built between 1882 and 1929.* So Carnegie libraries are older, and usually beautiful, brick buildings.

This is the original door to the Northfield Carnegie Library (no longer in use).

The Northfield Carnegie library was built in 1910. A large addition was added in 1985. Another renovation was completed in 2016. The 2016 renovation included many large windows that let in lots of natural light and it is lovely. There are some nice sitting areas where I sometimes go to write or read.

The newest addition to the library…bringing much natural light into the lovely space.

I remember during renovation the library moved to the city hall, yet they still were able to provide a limited, but wonderful, service to the community.

I like books. I like to read. I like the variety from the library without having to purchase. And, the library is available to anyone. I am grateful for our library system…a gateway to the world of reading.

*Wikipedia

February: I Love To Read Month

It’s February and it’s I Love To Read” month.

Reading is a wonderful thing to celebrate. I’m so grateful I can read.

I don’t have childhood memories of reading every chance I could get, or under the tree, or in a secret place like a lot of adults talk about, but at some point in time I started to read more and became aware of how much I love to read. It’s a wonderful thing. Image result for reading quotes

I do have lots of memories from reading to my boys in their childhood. Reading was a very precious time. I loved reading to them, and we read to them a lot. Our reading times are some of my fondest memories. I can picture me sitting on the sofa with a boy at each side, cuddling up, by the light and reading and reading…many books, many times, including every night before bed. I cherish those remembrances.

I have always liked books but I believe my love of books began when I started reading to my children. I started learning about, and buying, books to read to our boys. I’ve acquired a small collection of children’s books, which I continue to enjoy to this day (and still add to my collection).

Image result for free clip art for book clubs

I am in a book club, which I enjoy very much. I have read so many books over the years that I would probably never have picked out to read on my own. It has been, and continues to be, a wonderful experience. I borrow most of the books I read for our book club from our local library. However, there are certain other books I buy so I can highlight or underline ideas or thoughts as I read. My husband loves to read too, so we do have our own collection of books on bookshelves at home.

I wrote a children’s book. The story line is about skyping and I used clip art for the illustrations because it is about using computers so I thought clip art was appropriate. I had a print center in town print, laminate, and bind the book for my granddaughter whom I skype with – in Africa – and now, with her brother too. I’ve sent it to publishers but so far no one is interested. It was a fun project.

There’s so many more thoughts to share on reading. I love to read…here’s to “I love to read” month!

A Carnegie Library

The Northfield Public Library is a Carnegie library, built in 1910 with a most recent addition in 2016. A Carnegie library is a library built with money donated by Scottish-American businessman and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie. A total of 2,509 Carnegie libraries were built between 1883 and 1929 – 1,689 in the United Sates – and one in my town.

I use our library often. I’ve been in a book club for several years now and rarely do I buy a book…I borrow it from the library. And when we go on road trips I borrow books on CD to listen as we speed down the freeway, or ramble on the back roads. And sometimes it’s nice to borrow movies instead of rent them.

Libraries often have inviting spaces to sit and read a book, magazine or newspaper, or relax and enjoy the quiet and/or write. But I don’t really take advantage of those spaces. It is too convenient for me to go on-line, order a book, movie or CD, have the librarians gather what I’ve ordered and notify me when it’s ready for pick up. What a great service. I walk right in to the holding shelf, self-check out, admire the lovely space, then leave. Someday I may just have to stay and enjoy.

I stopped by the library yesterday to pick up another book on tape…an old term I still use … it’s actually a book on CD. I am leaving on another road trip and look forward to listening to someone read to me as I drive along, passing the hours until I reach my destination.