This morning we visited a very fine exhibit at the Albuquerque Museum about the history of the Albuquerque Special Collections Library, Open to All: A Century of Access at the Special Collections Library.
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| Photo courtesy of the Albuquerque Museum |
There is also a Youtube documentary (which includes an interview of Joe Van Cleave!)
The Spanish/Pueblo Revival style building was originally the main and only library in town for many years. It now houses a non-circulating collection of books and artifacts including a collection of antique printing machinery.
The exhibit got me to thinking about how central to my life libraries have been everywhere I have lived. My first library experience was visits by the local branch librarian to my West Seattle elementary school. She made presentations about the latest additions to the collection of children's books which always seemed very exciting to me. I was always motivated to go immediately to the library to read the reviewed books.
Mr. Popper's Penguins was one of the books I recall first hearing about from the visiting librarian. It seemed a great adventure story about charming animals at the time. Looking back on it now, I am appalled by the idea of taking wild animals out of their natural environment to be household pets or circus performers.
Another book from those early days was the fictional tale of several children who escape the Japanese invasion of their island home using a sailboat. The idea that children close to my age could play a heroic role in the recently concluded war was very captivating. I have tried several times to find that book over the years, but can't recall the book title and have been unable to track it down with search descriptions.
My elementary school had its own library as well, and from it I was able to read about Roy Chapman Andrews' life as an explorer in Mongolia. That book proved very influential in my life, motivating me to seek adventure in exotic locations.
These days, my library visits are most often to the Los Griegos branch of the Albuquerque Public Library. There is a good collection of books there and a welcoming atmosphere. A few years ago the branch manager, Nicholas Newlin, was very helpful to our New Mexico Film Photographers group in organizing a photo exhibit at the library.
While I enjoy the opportunity to browse the book shelves at Los Griegos or the other branch libraries in town, I more often borrow Kindle books online through the library website. That is an especially nice option for me as much of my reading is of Spanish language novels. Since Spanish is my second language I often want to look up the meaning of unfamiliar words, and that just requires a single click on the word when I am reading with Kindle.
So the way I interact with libraries has undergone some changes over the years, but it is no less important to me now than it was when I was first hearing about new books to read from that Seattle librarian.
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* See also on PBS/Independent Lens
Free For ALL: The Public Library
How public libraries shaped a nation and remain a beloved sanctuary for Americans today.
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