(no subject)

[katallison]

Few events in life can be as unambiguously joyful as the opening of a great new library. For the last few years, Minneapolis has been laboring to replace its sad old down-at-heels 50s- vintage central library, and today, at long last, was the grand opening.

It's a beauty. I'm sitting here right now next to the fireplace (!) on the third floor, availing myself of the buildig-wide WiFi , with people surging all around me, and wishing I'd brought my camera so I could upload pictures. (Maybe later I'll take some…) I got all choked up and misty when, after the speeches were over and the ribbons were cut, and after ten minutes or so of inching forward jammed elbow to elbow with the vast slow-moving crowd, I finally got through the entrance and got my first look at the gorgeous four-story-high atrium, and saw and heard the library staff and volunteers lining the main hallway, leaning over the second and third and fourth floor overhangs, cheering and applauding us all as we stumbled forward, blinking, grinning, jaws agape.

The building is BIG and full of light and books and computers; everything is clean-lined, pale wood and brushed silver (the aesthetic inspiration could fancifully be said to be a birch wood in midwinter, very apropos for Minnesota); and there's a good coffeeshop on the ground floor. Fireplaces, wonderful views of the city, comfortable furniture, a huge collection almost all of which is out on the open shelves…

I can foresee that I'll be spending a lot of time here.

Comments

[nagasvoice.livejournal.com]

How wonderful!
I love good news like this!

[katallison.livejournal.com]

It was just amazingly happiness-inducing; I haven't seen crowds this huge and cheerful since . . . well, since the last time the Twins were in the World Series, probably. *g*

[kitestringer.livejournal.com]

I got kind of choked up and misty just *reading* about it. It sounds wonderful! Nicer than any libraries I've been to around here (i.e., Chicago), that's for sure.

[katallison.livejournal.com]

We've suffered through a long dry library spell here; Central's been closed for several years because this one was built on the site of the old one, and I think three of the branch libraries are currently closed while undergoing renovation or rebuilding. So I do feel a little like we've earned this! *g*

[bethbethbeth.livejournal.com]

Awwww! My old library's gone!

(but this one sounds wonderful)

Meanwhile, go wave goodbye to the Guthrie Theatre for me. Rumor has it this is its last month...

[katallison.livejournal.com]

The Guthrie is indeed going bye-bye, which makes me sad and nostalgic (though I'll be very interested to see the interior of the new one; it's a very odd-looking structure indeed, right slap down by the river next to the old Milwaukee Depot. I should take some pictures of that as well.)

The old library got pretty seedy in its later years, and though I miss it in some ways, man, this is such a fantastic replacement I can't tell you. The Strib website has some good pictures of it, I think.

[bethbethbeth.livejournal.com]

Oh wow...I just went to the website and, yeah...that's a very cool new library!

*is proud she knew what Strib was. :)*

[aerye.livejournal.com]

Oh my god, I am salivating. I want to move in! Where is it located?

Hey, did you get a roommate for con_txt? I'm willing to bunk at the hotel if my roomie is as fabulous as you!

[katallison.livejournal.com]

It's right on the site of the old one, between Hennepin and Nicollet. I think the Strib website has some good photos, but I do plan to take and post some as well. Just a wonderful, gorgeous building.

(And I do have one roomie lined up for the con, but if you decide you want to stay over some night instead of driving home, just let me know, we could certainly fit you in. Can't wait to see you!)

[laurashapiro.livejournal.com]

What a beautiful thing. (:

[katallison.livejournal.com]

Totally! I think the new Seattle Public Library is more architecturally cutting-edge and visually/spatially exciting, but this library has a wonderful sense of comfort and ease; it already feels like a great place to hang out, browse, wander the stacks, in peace and contentment.

[laurashapiro.livejournal.com]

::envy::

The new San Francisco Main Library is kind of the opposite: it's cold and intimidating. There was quite an outcry when it opened its doors a few years ago.

You got the better deal. (:

[firesprite1105.livejournal.com]

Oooooh! That sounds wonderful! :)

[dsudis.livejournal.com]

Oh, YAY, new library! I just finished my seminar in public libraries, so now I am compulsively making little lists of cities with nice public library systems to go knock on doors in a couple of years... *g*

[tingler.livejournal.com]

This is not a library you are describing--Fireplace, light, books, building-wide wi-fi, clean birch-wood-in-midwinter lines, a *good coffee shop on the ground floor*!!--This is freaking heaven on earth!!

[tsamm.livejournal.com]

It's so wonderful that the community allotted money for it, and it sounds lovely.

[aukestrel.livejournal.com]

It sounds lovely. I am so happy for you.

[namastenancy.livejournal.com]

Your new library looks wonderful. It's everything that we were promised for the "new" SF library and didn't get. Oh, the building is pretty enough on the outside but there isn't enough room for books, enough money to pay for the upkeep on the computers, the promised printers that were supposed to be linked to the computer quickly disappeared, it's noisy as hell and completely filled with street people and their fleas, lice and belongings. The last time I went I saw a guy take off his socks and search for bugs while the table was covered with his stuff. I know that street people deserve a place to go as well as me but it's not condusive to enjoying the library.
So - long may your library thrive and long may you enjoy it!

[pegkerr.livejournal.com]

Yeah, and people have already spilled coffee all over the carpet. I was really unhappy to see that.

But you're right; it's a beauty. My girls each got thirty books out yesterday.

[brooklinegirl.livejournal.com]

kat, that sounds awesomely wonderful. I love the way you wrote about it, I totally got the feeling that you were describing, that sort of deep-seated happiness - contentment - that comes with the simple pleasure of a new library. I was vicariously content. ♥

[heresluck]

Ohhhhh.

Will you take me to visit sometime when I'm in town? *g*

oh, a LIBRARY!

[kormantic.livejournal.com]

I love the Ballard Library; it too has wifi, although sadly it does not sound half so splendid as yours. When I was a kid, there was a really supreme little library in Quincy MA that had fireplaces and cozy places and a turret room with a conservatory.

I miss that library.

Enjoy yours!