For my final library observation, I visited the Greenbrier Library located in Chesapeake, VA. It is a two story, brick building located close to a main thoroughfare. It has a large parking lot and multiple handicap spaces out front and is conveniently located near where I work. As I walked through the front doors, there was a long hallway with café seating and access to a large meeting room on the left. On the right, just outside the entrance, there was an information board with flyers about upcoming events at the library and in the community. Just inside the doors, there were low bookshelves with DVDs, CDs, and books being held for patron pickup.
Inside the library is divided into three main spaces. Downstairs the main room is devoted to adults and teens. Nonfiction bookshelves, organized using the Dewey Decimal System, began on the left and spread toward the middle of the library. On the side of these shelves were printouts called Tough Topics that listed the classification numbers where patrons could locate books about potentially uncomfortable topics like abuse, addiction, eating disorders, etc. Rubin and Rubin said that “preparing guides that assist users to find what they’re looking for” (2020, p. 96) is one of a service librarian’s responsibilities, and this guide seemed like a great idea for those hard to discuss topics. Where the nonfiction section ended, the fiction books began and wrapped around the room to the right. These books were arranged in alphabetical order. The back wall of the library had large picture windows where several patrons were sitting and working at high café tables. There were two study rooms along the walls and in the middle of the library, there was a large seating area with tables and chairs. A self-checkout station and a staff work counter was toward the front of the library as I walked back toward the door.
Just beyond the adult fiction books, was the children’s room. This was my favorite part of the library. The room was fairly large and was filled with picture books, chapter books, graphic novels, and bilingual books stored on low bookshelves. The walls were yellow and orange with colorful pictures painted in the style of Eric Carle. There was a cozy seating area arranged for conversation as well as several tables and chairs in the front. In the back corner, there were several computers set up on desks of varying heights. A support column covered in paper mache to resemble a tree was between the computers and the checkout counter. The librarian working in the children’s room was assisting a parent that was looking for books on her child’s reading level. On the counter there were craft kits dubbed boredom busters for making various paper projects and flyers about upcoming classes.
The final section of the library was the computer space which was located on the second floor of the library. It was a very lackluster space though the librarian was engaging and helpful. There were indeed computers set up on connected desks with low privacy carrels. There were also two large magazine racks and a sofa and several tables for patrons to sit and work. One table even had two coloring pages and colored pencils set out though the pictures were completely colored in.
While the children’s room was charming and the library is located near work, I cannot see myself wanting to go back to this library for much more than to run in and pick up a book. The staff was large and accommodating, but the space was uninspiring. With so many other choices in the area, I would probably select another library to visit if they also had the books I was looking for.
Resources
Chesapeake Public Libraries. (n.d.). Greenbrier Library https://chesapeakelibrary.org/locations/greenbrier-library
Rubin, R. E. and Rubin, R. G. (2020). Foundations of library and information science (5th ed.). ALA Neal-Schuman.
View of the main library from the stairs leading up to the computer room.
Hello Jennifer,
The tough topics sign is a great idea. We don’t have that at my library and the other day a guy came in, wondered around for a while then eventual came to me and whispered what type of book he was looking for. Maybe this is something I can add for my patrons; thanks for sharing this. The tree and the birdhouse in the children’s area are wonderful additions that help bring it to life for kids! Thanks for the tour and sorry it was not inspiring for you. Sounds like it is a nice place.
This library had a kind of old bookstore feel which probably would have been better received if I hadn’t just completed my academic library visit. That library was just built nine years ago and it is all modern and shiny and new making this one look very rundown in comparison especially the computer room.
Hi Jennifer! You did a great job describing the space! I’m surprised that the entire library wasn’t a little more engaging, however – it looks like they started to but couldn’t follow through. Maybe the children’s section is a big draw for families, but you’re right – it won’t engage individuals.
I also wanted to talk about the “Tough Topics” post – I’ve seen that a few places and I agree that it’s a great way for people to get the information they need while not feeling like their privacy is compromised.
How many libraries do you have around to pick from?
Great job!
Karen
Virginia Beach is a pretty big city and has many libraries to choose from. In the past, I just went to whichever one had the book I was looking for, ran in, got my book, and left regardless of the ambiance or offerings. Now I know to look a little more closely at what they have to offer. Greenbrier is in Chesapeake, but since I teach there, I was able to get a library card with them too. As a side note, Chesapeake made a 10 most boring cities in America list.
Reference
Movoto. (2014, June 4). These are the 10 most boring cities in America. https://www.movoto.com/blog/most-boring-cities-in-america/
Hi Jennifer, and thanks for sharing this post with us. I also wanted to comment on the Tough Topics. I am so glad to see it, but I can’t help but wonder if it could be labeled differently, though, in poor fashion, I can’t think of an appropriate alternative. More importantly though, it exists. I’ve never seen something like that, and I shower the library in respect points for this. I wonder if this was the city or a librarian’s idea? The children’s area is often one of my favorite places to be as well. Professionally, I prefer to work with older children (high school), but as a toddler mom, I know all about some Eric Carle and appreciate spaces that encourage my child’s exploration and literacy away from a screen. Your post reminded me to visit other local libraries, as we are blessed to have so many around us. Thanks for sharing! Rachael
This was the only library I saw that poster in but thought it was a great idea. I only visited the one library in Chesapeake though so I don’t know if it is citywide or not. It’s not policy for Virginia Beach Public Libraries.
I love how in-depth all of your posts are. I feel like I already know the space without ever being there. Love the term “boredom busters.” I really like your first picture with the above angle of the library but it does make the space seem a little over whelming with all the tight shelving and books. It always great to hear that the Librarian was happy to be there and seemed to enjoy her position there. It so important that all spaces are making an open discussion about “tough topic” so patrons can access them easily.
I thought the boredom busters title was cute too. They were little origami kits if I remember correctly. The shelves may look closer together from that angle than they actually were. I liked that they were low enough to be accessible to most. The signs at the top of them gave a kind of a bookstore vibe which I kind of liked, but that carpet was awful.