Hey there,
Libraries are one of the best places on Earth. I say this because it’s 100% true; it’s a fact. As Matilda would say, check the paper if you don’t believe me. I’ve been to many libraries in my life, and I continue to try new ones that I’ve never been to before; especially with my young daughter because they always have super fun children’s areas. I even try to visit libraries when we are on out of state trips. Even though we can’t check out any books; we can still spend time there to play, read books, and learn different things about the community. Each library I’ve been to is unique in its own special way. Some are massive, while others can be uncomfortably small. Some are old with beautiful original woodwork and historical architecture, and some are brand new with all the whites, millennial grays, and modern amenities. But all of them are wonderful and filled with the magic of books. I’ve officially passed this love for books on to my daughter, and this is such a great feeling. I love it when she gets up first thing in the morning and dives for her stack of books, either reading on her own or asking me to cuddle and read together. Libraries today are more than just book checkouts and returns. They have all sorts of programming like story times, book clubs, career support, various classes, games, contests, and “The Library of Things.” This is where you can check out anything from bakeware to snow shoes. All of these things are at no cost. It’s amazing really, and like I’ve said in previous posts; I had no knowledge of the activities and resources that are available in the community. I will always promote libraries because they are such a great resource that I believe everyone should use.
Recently, my daughter and I visited the Wildwood Library in Mahtomedi, MN. We happened to stumble upon it when we were out and about one afternoon, so we decided to stop. That’s one thing about us, if we drive past a library we haven’t been to before, we are very likely to stop in and check it out. And if it’s not in the county we live in, we will usually link our card to that location so we can check out books there. I do have to say that the Wild River library is one of the better libraries I’ve been to. The building is nice and very welcoming from the minute you pull into the parking lot. They have an expansive children’s area with lots of toys to play with. Dare I mention the books? Of course they have books. Lots and lots of books, and a great selection at that. I’m still talking about the kid’s area by the way. We spent a little over 2 hours here, and none of this was even planned. It’s a good thing I always have a cooler bag with snacks and lunch for us, because we definitely needed it. We sat outside under an umbrella to eat in the pollination garden, enjoying the views of plentiful flowers, butterflies, and honey bees. There were stepping stones to walk through the garden to get a closer look, and of course being a 4-year-old, my daughter absolutely loved that. Overall, it was a very comfortable and quiet place to sit.
The teen and adult areas are separate, and one thing I noticed was the supernumerary places to sit throughout the library. This is something you don’t always get. Some are cramped with a few uncomfortable chairs strewn about, but not at Wildwood. They have various types of seating too. Such as desk style chairs, benches, cozy chairs in front of a fireplace. Whatever suits your needs during your time at the library. The librarian I spoke with was so kind and helpful, though I didn’t catch her name. I was looking for a very specific book and she was more than happy to help. That’s also a huge detail worth noting because that hasn’t always been my experience with every librarian I’ve run into. I’ve met some very snarky librarians who treated me like I was stupid, ones who reprimanded my daughter when she was just 18 months old and still learning how to be quiet in a library (I can do that myself thank you very much). I’ve also encountered a librarian who barely looked up from the computer and seemed very bothered that I was standing in front of them asking for help.
One last thing I will say about Wildwood Library is that they have a medication disposal bin for unused prescription medications; which I think is a great resource. So, needless to say I would bet that we will be visiting this library again in the future. For how much time my daughter and I spend in libraries, it’s important to me to have a positive experience and comfortable environment to be in. There’s no such thing as too much library time or book-reading time. So, SERIOUSLY! I beg you; check your local library website or better yet, go there and find something that suits you. There really is something for everyone. You won’t be disappointed, I promise.
P.S. You can also get access to free streaming services, apps, tickets to concerts and events in the area. But I’m not telling you how to find this stuff. You need to go to the library to find out for yourself 😉
P.P.S. An example of this is that my daughter recently won a free book, free pass to a local waterpark, and free ice cream from the notorious Cup and Cone in White Bear Lake, MN. So get your little booty over to the library; it’s a wonderous place.
Talk soon,
Corrah
