Public Libraries Editorial from Massachusetts

Here is a link to a terrific little video and editorial from the Patriot Ledger, a multi-community newspaper on the South Shore of Massachusetts. It's looking at the decision that Norwell has to make about renovating or rebuilding its public library, and reviews the fabulous job that a number of nearby communities, including my home town of Milton, have done with their public libraries. It is a very nice little video with slide shows showing brief shots of the various beautiful libraries. They don't begin to show how wonderful these libraries are, because I've been a heavy user of both the Thomas Crane Library in Quincy and the Milton Public Library, and both are very beautiful. I wish both sites showed more pictures of the libraries, which deserve to be better known for their fabulous interiors. They both have nice collections, but they are gems of buildings, which may be the new importance of public libraries, in many ways. They are places for people to meet, to use computers, to be trained, to have civilized conversation and to be educated with special programs of all kinds. Cool!

All images are from the Architecture section of the Thomas Crane Library Website, at http://thomascranelibrary.org/ The image with the drummers is the atrium, at the lower level entry to the Crane Library, near their coffee shop, where they have free wireless, and also have lectures, art exhibits and exhibitions like this drumming. I have seen ethnic dancing, story-telling, and other programs as well. The image with people seated is one of the Crane library reading rooms. And the dark wood shows off one of the oldest part of the Crane library, preserved from the original library.