Berlin Free Town Library
It was a beautiful day for a drive, which is a good thing when you are looking for Berlin and your phone drops service. There were many butterflies enjoying the flowers out front.
The Berlin Free Town Library serves a population of about 1,800. It was renovated in the early 2000’s to double its size and the inside reminds me of a fancy treehouse (like they design on that treehouse show) with a beautiful balcony room perfect for hiding out. There’s an office up there too. I love the windows. Across the street is a view of the hills. A man was splitting wood in front of his house.
One thing I noticed about this and several other small libraries was that they didn’t have their lights on in some areas. While this makes sense in conserving energy and reducing heat, it makes the space less inviting. People can turn on the lights, yes, but they have to feel like they’re allowed, know where the switch is and be willing to go do it. For some of the seniors I know with poor eyesight, asking for the lights to be turned on would be admitting weakness, something they don’t like doing. Lighting is also a part of presentation.
The hanging stars are beautiful- they inspire me to put up hanging decorations in our library. The collection is well-kept, with inviting displays.
Jane is visiting all 36 locations of the Upper Hudson Library System (see introduction)
