Back in June, I was having a conversation with an old family friend who grew up in Tenants Harbor. She began reminiscing about walking through the snow to get to the library and how eager she would be to check out the maximum number of books, week after week. She described the smell of the old stacks, the special spot where she would sit to get a sneak peak into her next read and how important the library was to her upbringing. I had a similar relationship with my library growing up in Massachusetts.
Since beginning my position with the newly renovated Jackson Memorial Library (JML), I have been inspired to reflect on how infrastructure and layout can change the way one interacts with a space. Buildings, as much as the land around us, must change over time, and in the case of the library, it has evolved with the needs of the younger generation.
To me, every library I walked into as a kid held the magic of thousands of worlds. The opportunity that was embedded in each book on the shelf was overwhelming. There were always so many things to learn, so many characters to meet and so many journeys to embark upon.
It was also a place to be quiet.
The large open space that JML has moved into has created an environment that is conducive to outward expression of learning. Information is accessed most often by the younger generation through technology, projects and conversation. Books are still all around, but seem to be equivalent in focus and importance to these other avenues. When books are read and explored, there are video games, board games and movies to go along with the experience.
With the new open space, we are able to provide kids of all ages with a variety of programs. I get the delight (and challenge, of course) of working with the sixth-eighth graders, and it is amazing how surprising they can be. One day, we will be cooking up a storm in the kitchen, learning how to make wontons or ravioli from scratch. The next day, the kids will want to go outside and build a fort on the edge of the path that leads to the school. On another day, they will want to go on a walk to harvest materials to make wreaths for the holidays.
Students are able to come into the library and express themselves, learn with their hands and hang out with their closest friends. Heck, we’ve even been able to build a Trebuchet that launches pumpkins over 300 feet down the field, with the help of a catapult master right in town. I have to say, I’ve learned worlds from these kids—and they bring the magic into the library.
The wide-open space has given the library a new personality and many new opportunities. The St. George peninsula is flourishing with people of many talents, skills and a wealth of knowledge. They are all able to use this space to teach others, share their talents and join in social gatherings. In a short three months of doing projects with these kids, talking on a daily basis with wonderful community members and sharing nine ideas a minute with my co-workers, I am hooked on this community and what it has to offer.
Hannah Tannebring is an Island Fellow through AmeriCorps and the Island Institute.