The main branch of the Hampton Public Library houses tons of great resources. I practically lived at the local library my final semester of undergrad when I needed a quiet place to study and work on my thesis. After visiting nearly a decade later, I can see both how excitedly it has changed and how unfortunately it has stayed the same.
Digital Access
The Hampton Public Library website keeps you up to date on all the latest events happening at the different branches in the city. I was a bit overwhelmed by all the events taking place in the area, so I narrowed my view to only the events taking place this week at the main branch. These events are geared toward children, starting at 11:00am on weekdays. There are no events scheduled for teens and adults until August. Aside from advertising events, the website offers an online database, contact details, and information about sub-facilities.
The Space & Physical Access
The Main branch of Hampton libraries is located in the real heart of the city, across the street from Darling Stadium where all the high school football games take place. Downstairs houses the DVD collection, large print texts, young adult & children’s literature, and the juvenile computer lab strictly reserved for kids 12 and under. There are also activity/play areas and quiet reading corners for adults and children. In addition to general nonfiction, fiction, and references, the second floor has a computer lab, study rooms, and meeting rooms. None of these were in use at the time of my visit.
Services & Intellectual Access
The library is organized by genre and author’s last name, and the bookshelves are labeled to help direct patrons. It appears to provide access for a wide range of users with large print and audio books for the visually impaired and an elevator and wide aisles to accommodate handicap patrons. I personally did not observe literature geared towards non-native speakers, but that is not to say that it does not exist.
Patrons & Staff
The library clearly serves children, teens, adults, and elders. There are events posted on the first floor, and, although the website does not show many events for adults, there is a wall located on the second floor with tons of fliers for local happenings. As for diversity, I was unable to observe many patrons as things were pretty slow when I arrived. I did however observe a staff of Black and White women and one White male. I spoke to a senior library assistant who has been working for libraries in the city for over 30 years. She was very friendly and eager to assist. She worked in the children’s literature department near the computer lab, and I can imagine that with her warm personality, she works well with kids.
Collections
I was pleasantly surprised to see Black sci-fi and fantasy on display with N. K. Jemisin’s How Long ‘Til Black Future Month, a testament to the library’s ability to keep up with progressive trends. There is a pride display which I suspect was erected in June for pride month and an African-American literature display which I suspect was erected for Juneteenth. I would have to go back at different times of the year to see if special displays are created for other groups and organizations. The main library location is also ideal for those who study the social sciences. The George Wythe Law Library and the Virginiana Room reserved for research in local, state, and genealogical collections are on the second floor.
Final reflections
The library doesn’t seem to have changed much at first glance, which a part of me appreciates because of the nostalgia I associate with the location and the comfortability I find in familiarity. The library was reverently quiet with a few patrons tucked in corners. With libraries moving toward becoming social and collaborative learning centers, the library may have to relinquish its traditional silence and embrace more lively interactions (Rubin & Rubin, 2020, p. 150). However, there is some evidence of library evolution with digital resources, expanded lab and family areas, and progressive displays.
Very few patrons, no teenagers at all, were there at the time of my visit, which I might blame on the time of day, 1pm on a Sunday. I could also blame it on the library’s lack of Wifi, a technical issue I hope is resolved soon because the computer labs were empty. Rubin & Rubin (2020) advise that in order to attract teenagers, libraries should focus more on services than materials (p. 143). I’m hoping that in another ten years, the library section reserved for DVD collections will be converted into maker spaces, collaborative learning stations, or a virtual reality experience. Gaming has also been identified as an area of interest among teenagers (Rubin & Rubin, 2020, p. 144), so I think offering a space for teens to showcase literacy, problem solving skills, and leadership in non-traditional formats might draw new patrons.
References:
City of Hampton. (n.d.). Hampton Public Library. https://www.hampton.gov/100/Libraries
Rubin, R. E., & Rubin, R. G. (2020). Foundations of library and information science (5th ed.). ALA Neal-Schuman.
I’ve never been to the Hampton Public Library, so this was a great virtual visit! I would definitely pick something from that display you mentioned: N.K. Jemisin and Octavia E. Butler are awesome authors. I love the “Check it Out” display in your photograph with upcoming events. I wish Virginia Beach Public Library had something as eye-catching as that instead of basic flyer walls.
Beautiful building! It’s interesting that they have a computer space reserved exclusively for 12 and under. It’s also interesting that the library was almost empty. Our local branch is almost always hopping. I’m tempted to visit on Sunday just to observe any difference in patron numbers. 😉
I rolled my eyes at our DVD section. I love the idea of taking that space and turning it into a makerspace, or something more relavent.
Thanks for sharing!
The Virginiana Room sounds fascinating. I will have to drive over and check it out. I hope that it takes less than 10 years for Hampton to make new use of all that DVD and computer bank space. The librarians at the Virginia Beach Libraries told me that desktop computer stations at their Central location are seeing increasingly infrequent use and more people bringing their own technology with them when they come to the library. Removing some of those less used computer banks could open up space for new opportunities!
I wonder how long the computers have been out of order and the Wi-Fi has not been working. Were those signs just recently posted or is it a long-term issue? In such a big digital age, those issues really do deter patrons from visiting the library.
I loved reading about the Virginiana Room – it makes me want to go take a visit. I have to say that sign holder with the out of order signs taped over it gives me a sad feeling. Perhaps the staff could get a bit more creative with their visual opportunities.
That is great that there are so many programs or events available for children, especially during the summertime. I love that they had a juvenile computer lab. I am sure that it can be intimating for children to work in a computer lab with adults, and it gives them their own space. I am surprised that you did not see more patrons in that teen area, but I am sure it varies by time of day.