Visiting A One-Hundred And Six Year Old Library

 I spotted the building the first time I saw the church...they're across the street from each other. The first time I was able to go inside was last week. It is, in a word, important. 

The Garland Branch of the library is the second building in their system. The other is in Tremonton. We visited the Tremonton Branch first...it's the bigger of the two libraries. I think the Tremonton building is the younger of the two. 

What I love about about these two buildings is that they still exist. In a digital world many things that once were have disappeared...Sony Walkmans, wrist watches, Blockbuster Video stores, but libraries are still here. It's a testament to their importance. 

The top floor had books and media for adults and young adults. The basement was for kids and middle-grade. The basement also has an activity center, but I imagine since covid it, the building hasn't been utilized as much as it was before.

When I worked in a library for a few months years ago, I think they needed at least six employees at any give time, more during the busy shifts. This library had a staff of one...that's all that was needed.

I ended up buying a couple of books that were for sale, a Jim Butcher novel and a collection of the best 1980s short stories. I asked the librarian if the building had always been a library. It had, which I thought was the coolest part of the building. There's even a framed photo of when the building was dedicated on December 12th, 1914, ten years (almost to the day...) from when my father was born. She also said the library was built using a grant from the Carnegie Foundation.

A quick internet search for old libraries brings up many many incredible libraries all over the world where floor after floor of shelves hold thousands of books in buildings that better resemble palaces than a place where books are stored. Societies have built monuments to our collective knowledge. But a building does not need to be spectacular or opulent to be important. The Garland Library is the mind of the community and it has stood for one-hundred and six years.