![]() As we reached the door, there was the image again - and at the back of the library, there was the bust itself. We go back and forth about co-location and can certainly see the appeal for towns to house as much as possible in a single facility.Īs we walked to the library from the parking lot, there was a large sign featuring a photograph of a bust of Lincoln. This is a town library that shares a building with a number of other town offices and departments. Library Land Score: 4.27.įrom there we visited the West Stockbridge Public Library. During our visit, there was a healthy flow of people and all spent time talking together and with the library’s friendly staff. It was also clear that the library serves as a social touchpoint for the community. There’s also a small local history room, a puzzle table, and a grandfather clock that was made for the library by a patron. ![]() It wasn’t the only highlight of this sweet little library. Sitting in these in the warm quiet of the library was a real treat. There is a nice seating area at the rear of the library with comfortable recliners. The interior of the library is paneled in unfinished wooden planks and this gives the library the wonderful scent of warm wood - reminiscent of a country store. This is a small, but very comfortable, town library. Our heads spinning from our visit, we took a spin down the road to the Richmond Free Public Library. That’s certainly something we experienced first hand during our travels - but we also saw some interesting ways communities are working to address the issue, Chief among these is the problem of connectivity, both in terms of cell coverage and broadband penetration. We had a great conversation that touched on the libraries we had seen the previous day, her work promoting the Berkshires as a destination to live, work, and play - as well as some of the challenges faced by the region. Yum!Īfter breakfast, we drove to Lenox, where we met with Lindsey Schmid, Vice President of Tourism & Marketing, 1Berkshire at the Haven Cafe in Lenox. There's always something magical about flipping that iron and popping out some piping hot golden brown and delicious waffles. Our second day started with delicious hotel waffles. Being from Eastern Massachusetts, we’re more candlepin guys but we managed to break 100 every time! 1Berkshire was kind to secure lodgings for us during this tour and we really enjoyed our stay at the Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Great Barrington Lenox/Berkshires It was still on the early side so we decided to bowl a few strings at Cove Bowling. We had a super delicious dinner at Xicohtencalt (Xico to the locals), a creative Mexican restaurant in Great Barrington. On that positive note, we ended the first day of our Berkshires tour. We spoke with a few patrons and all were so pleased with their new library, as well they should be! Library Land Score: 4.82. They did it, thanks in large part, due to the support of the community. This is a great example of the post-information age trend in library design and construction. As contemporary as the new space feels, there are also really classic touches - the wood of the shelves and cabinetry, for example. The lighting is tasteful and indirect, creating a nice even illumination. The same is true for much of the rest of the furniture. Almost all of the stacks are on wheels, which allows the room to be reconfigured quickly and easily. It must be amazing to have had that journey - not just from volunteer to director, but also overseeing the amazing transformation this library has seen. Mark Makuc, the director, has been there since 1978 when he began as a volunteer. The space is so comfortable and features an absolute ton of orange decor. The rear walls of both sides of the V are large windows looking out over a reading deck and beyond and below that, a waterfall. There are two very nice study rooms at the back of the left-hand side of the building. It's a V-shaped construction with youth, movies, audiobooks, and other media to the right and the main collection to the left. ![]() The new section of the library is really great too. It was refurbished and cleaned up and is quite beautiful, with great woodwork, original lighting fixtures, contemporary art, and a really wonderful grandfather clock. The original one-room library remains in use as a gallery and function space. ![]() The cost of the project was under $4M, which should give hope to small libraries that need renovations, restorations or replacements. Its library - paid for in part with state construction grants, money from the town and Friends - is amazing. What a fantastic place! Monterey is a small town, with just 900 year-round residents (many more when you count seasonal people), but still, a small community. Our last library of the day was the Monterey Public Library.
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