The Space and Physical Access:

The North Courthouse Road Library is a branch of the Chesterfield County Public Library. One of the first things I noticed when I drove up, was the outdoor area on the backside of the library. The outdoor area has tables, chairs, and places to plug in a computer. Outside of the library they have a drive through book return and there is a large sign with library and curbside hours.  It is a medium sized library with an open concept.

When you walk into the library it is one large room, there are meeting spaces off of the main library space. There are two individual study rooms, two group study rooms, and one large meeting room. All these spaces can be reserved online. In the main library space, there are plenty of tables and chairs that can also be used. Many of the smaller tables had computers on them. They also have a few comfortable chairs with smaller tables next to them. In the back of the library there were drink and snack vending machines.  

On one end of the library is the children’s area. There is smaller furniture, toys, a Lego table, and shorter bookshelves. There were a few kids hanging out in the area, mostly sitting at the tables. One thing I liked about the children’s area was they had multiple bins that people could place the books they did not want in, instead of trying to reshelve them. On the other end of the library was the Teen or Young Adult area. It was much smaller than the children’s area, it had a few tables with computers and a couple of chairs.

Overall, the library felt welcoming and inclusive. I was immediately greeted when I walked through the door. The library is all on one level, and the shelves appeared to be far enough apart for a wheelchair. There were shelves with audio books and large print books for those who might need or want them. There was a large service area at the front of the library with plenty of workers who were willing to help. It had a family feel to it, since there were spaces for all ages, and it was all connected. It was not a silent library; people were comfortable talking to each other, but it never felt loud.

Services and Intellectual Access:

When walking around the library, I saw information about Children’s programs. There was information about the summer reading program designed for children and teens. There was a table in front of the Children’s area with a scavenger hunt and “take and make” activity for teens. At the front of the library there was an information section, that had flyers about programs going on in the community.

There were many signs in the library labeling the different age levels for the books. There were also signs to show audiobooks, DVD’s, CD’s, fiction, and nonfiction. There were plenty of workers throughout the library. The library catalog was pulled up on all the computers, and the catalog can be easily accessed on their website. All of the fiction books were categorized by age level and author last names while the nonfiction books were classified by the Dewey Decimal System.

It was clear that the library serves a diverse community and that people feel welcome here. I was not surprised because I am aware of the community that lives near that library. There was a mix of ethnicities, ages, and genders. I saw families with young children, teens, and adults. There were more women than men in the library.

People:

The library serves a diverse population. It was apparent by the books and information that they are open to serving the Spanish speaking population. The many activities and sections showed that it was a place for children and adults. In the children’s area I saw parents playing with children at the Lego table and children on the computers. In the rest of the library, I saw many people on their own laptops working. The study rooms were all occupied with people working. I also noticed tutoring sessions going on in the back of the library. There were four people working at the service desk and I saw three people re-shelving books. It seemed like a comfortable environment. Among the staff I saw mostly women, but people of different ethnicities. I am sure that families feel comfortable going to this library, but people who are coming to work and want complete silence may not be as comfortable.

Collections and Other:

The library has plenty of books for adults, teens, and children. I noticed that the adult fiction section was the largest. There was not a large non-fiction section. The library also had a large section of DVDs and CDs. There were also brochures in the information section about clean water, learning English, and community issues. There were multiple computers placed throughout the library, a few of them were for the catalog only. Along with the computers they had a printer for people to use, and a 3D printer.

The library is family oriented and there were many resources for available for the community. There were multiple flyers about community program and events. There are resources available to people who speak Spanish and are hoping to learn English. I did not notice any physical barriers, because the library is on one floor and there seemed to be plenty of room to move through the library. They also had a sections for audiobooks and large print novels.

The North Courthouse Road library was welcoming and it a great place to find information about what is going on in the community. I was surprised that with the size of the library that there were not more books, especially in the non-fiction section. I felt comfortable being at the library and would go back there. They had plenty of areas to sit and I enjoyed doing work there. I would like to learn more about the business suite and what it is used for. I noticed you can book online for studying but I am curious why it has the name. I have enjoyed learning more about the public library and I want to learn more about the programs they offer for adults. It seems like an inclusive environment and that all people are welcome.

Digital Access:

The Chesterfield County Public Library website is easy to navigate and there is a search bar at the top if the page to search in the catalog. On the home page there are also links to research databases, online story time, virtual library events, locations, and streaming. At the top of the page there is a banner about COVID-19 tests that are available at the county libraries. On the North Courthouse Road branch page, it does list three staff members: the branch manager, assistant branch manager, and customer service supervisor. There is a link to email the Branch Manager and a link to reserve meeting rooms.

The website offers different databases to use for research and links to apps for streaming or downloading. Libby by Overdrive is where members can check out audiobooks, E-books, and magazines. There is a link to library events which includes information about in person and virtual events. You are also able to watch past story times at the library on their YouTube page. On the accessibility tab, it states that materials on the website should be compatible with assistive technology but if something is wrong to contact them.

References:

Chesterfield County Public Library. (n.d). North Courthouse Road Library. https://library.chesterfield.gov/160/North-Courthouse-Road-Library