What do you like to visit when you go to a new city? Some people seek out the best burger joint, while others look for the best city parks. I like to see the library (or libraries). I once left my family standing on a corner to cross the street and go in the Halifax Public Library.
My husband has gotten so used to this quirk (or maybe just so tired of being abandoned on street corners) that he has started looking up the locations of notable libraries every time we travel to a new city, so we can work plans to go to them into our trip. Over the years, we've gotten to see notable libraries in Pittsburgh, Seattle, Halifax, and Salt Lake City, among many others. These libraries represent a diversity of designs and eras from historic community libraries in operation for over a century to newer buildings that are testing the ideas of what a library could or should look like.
I love walking around these buildings—and their grounds, when they have them—finding out how they organize their collections; exploring their non-library services, like community partners and cafes; seeing their art installations; and, most interestingly, observing how people use their libraries.
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| Noyes Library Ramp Opening 2016. |
But you don't have to travel thousands of miles to see the many shapes that libraries can take. The twenty-one public libraries here in Montgomery County range from the one-room Noyes Library for Young Children in Kensington, which opened in 1893 and continues to offer innovative programs and services to young families in Montgomery County, to the new three-story Silver Spring Library in downtown Silver Spring, which opened in June 2015, and there are
many sizes and shapes of libraries in between. Whether you're driving around the County for work or planning a family staycation, consider dropping by an MCPL branch you haven't seen before. You might be surprised by what you find.
Want to expand your travel beyond libraries? The latest episode of our podcast, Library Matters, is all about travel both inside and outside of Montgomery County Public Libraries. You'll also get some insights into how MCPL can support you wherever you plan to go.
Happy travelling!
LenneaLabels: Libraries, Travel
