Some Photos of the New Library

The new furniture hasn't arrived yet, nor the signage on the front desk, but you can see how cool the place looks!

As you come in the main door, this is the view to the left. I have casual seating and along the red wall (on high shelves) are the military stack books - these ones I don't expect to go out very often, and I have to go through them all to decide which to keep.
Just in front near the beginning of the carpet is the start of the adult fiction. Most of the shelving is organised into 2 or 3 bays, so everything is more fragmented.
You will see 5 of my ANZAC quilts on the wall here, which I put up for ANZAC Day (26th April).

This is the view directly in front of you as you come in the main door. I have ordered some sofas for this area. There are also plans to hold film evenings or such like and this area will be the seating area - bean bags, camper chairs etc. and a drop-down screen.
Just to the right, off the carpet 'runway' is the adult non-fiction.

This is the right hand view - my new issues desk and a study nook. In the very corner (right hand) is a desk for jigsaw puzzles (adults only!). You can see a curved line in the carpet where the issues desk was previously. The whole area behind has become my 'office'.

This view is along the back wall, picture books, play area, junior fiction and junior non-fiction. Lovely and bright with the yellow gold wall.
I have taken away the fence around the play area. This has meant a subtle shift in who is responsible for looking after the little children (ie. not me!). Over my left shoulder are 2 internet-access computers and a photocopier.
People have remarked as to how big the place looks now, but it is because you can see much more floor - the bottom shelves are at a kinder height for my older customers. It is also a lot lighter without the shelf covers - I am just going to have to dust more often!
I am going to change the hours in 2 weeks time - I will be open for just the 20 hours/week, but open earlier in the morning, have one 'late night' and be closed for a whole day mid week - hopefully this will make more people happier and they will come to use the library.

Library Opening

Today I made it to work (I've had 2 days on sick leave - how frustrating is that!) to open the Library for all my customers who have been waiting patiently during the refurbishment.
Everyone that came in commented on how nice it looked - some were quite worried, but pleasantly surprised with the end result. I am very happy. It's a much happier looking place - open, bright and with lots of comfortable seating.
I also had 2 unexpected visitors. Last week a fantail came in while we were working, for a look around. Today he was back, and with a friend! They stayed for at least 30 minutes, chasing each other, and checking out lots of things. I managed to get a photo of one as he rested for a short time:

Can you see him on the shelf support leg?
Some say that a fantail inside is bad luck, but I like this poem by Eileen Duggan (1894–1972, OBE, New Zealand poet and journalist)

The Tiwai Waka

See! In the Kauwae-Raro,
O small dancing bird,
Old Kupe says you touched him,
We have his stately word.

And what said Kupe of you,
O small bird of grace?
He said: “The Tiwai Waka
Kept flitting past my face!”

O little Tiwa Waka,
O kind little wing!
I've seen a woman hunt you,
With haste and muttering.

She said it was unlucky,
She drove you out with cries,
For when a fantail flies within
A son or neighbour dies.

Unlucky! It's an honour,
A bird flying through.
He had the whole sweet countryside,
And yet he came to you.




I also got a photo of my new Issues Desk. Previously this had an upstanding, about 12 inches high, at the front - I felt that it was difficult for people to see me (and I them if I was sitting down), plus it was a mushroom coloured laminate which didn't go with the new decor. Ian cut and painted.
Now:

I just need to get lettering on the front, and the returns desk is to the side on the left.
So exciting!

Library Refurbishment - We're Almost Done!

Sorry I didn't get to post yesterday. By the time I got home (it was dark and I hadn't fed the chickens) I was pretty pooped. But I did get a photo of the teal painted wall:

Actually I think it is the same colour as my kitchen! Funny that :)
Today help arrived from town (Palmerston North City Library) and with extra hands for an hour or so, loads of books got on the shelves and they are mostly in the correct order.
At the end of the day we had a little celebration and thank you for some of the people who have helped - here's Jo being the perfect hostess:

There are a few of us working tomorrow, even though it is a holiday (Easter Friday), but it means that if everything is finished; books tidied, floor vacuumed, windows cleaned, painting finished and the last of the shelves put together with the extra stored away, we can relax and enjoy the rest of the weekend.
We have borrowed a couple of sofas and with the central area carpeted like a fashion runway it looks so beautiful! There has been a suggestion that we could hold movie evenings - I think I will have to do some research and pull a few strings of my own to loan out some suitable DVDs - ANZAC Day is coming up and there must be something suitable :)
So, after tomorrow I hope to be able to take some panoramic photos to show you the new and classy Linton Community Library!

Library Refurbishment - Day 2 Painting

Today was yellow wall day. This is the biggest wall and will have the picture books and other children's books plus the play area. So, 2+ coats of paint in Dulux Karaka Bay (unfortunately looking a little dull - you can catch a better glimpse in the next photo, top right):

I'm so loving it!
Here are some of the fiction books in waiting. Their shelves have to be re-configured and shifted from the current toast rack style.

And this afternoon, I managed to get the stack Military books back on the shelves. Because of the height, the supports are attached to the wall. All the other shelves will not be at this height, but it is not expected that these books will be issued frequently. Plus I need to go through them and delete some, which I'm sure are irrelevant or there is something better.

Don't you think that the Monza red looks fantastic?
Tomorrow 2 different coloured paints, and I'm hoping the walls will be finished :)