Community... and friends
Growing up in Houston during the 50’s was the sweetest part of my life. Childhood was so easy and simple. We played, rode bikes, skated on the street, walked everywhere, including the 7-11 every Sunday for a kit-kat bar, comic book and a grape soda for a quarter. Early on around age 6 or 7 we walked about a half mile daily to elementary school and joined forces with our little friends as we walked. After school we walked home usually through the woods carrying our books. Nobody worried about crazy things happening on our streets, or in the woods for that matter; nor that we wouldn’t go directly home. Many days we would take a very short detour and check out the small neighborhood library, an old framed white wood house, where we could check out as many books as we could carry home. We read every single one of those old orange biographies written on as many people as you could imagine. I specifically remember my absolute favorite, George Washington Carver, the peanut guy as well as Dolly Madison, Jane Addams, Sam Houston and Buffalo Bill. Great informative books and easy to speed-read. Unfortunately, today the library is becoming almost a thing of the past. People don’t pick up a book much anymore but turn on the “kindle” and get the print digitally. My preference is still a paper book since I’m not convinced that the computer screen isn’t wearing out my eyes!!
When was the last time you walked through the front door of a library? My guess is when you were in school and for me that’s 47 years ago! Boy oh boy have things changed! Here in East Texas we are so blessed to have two outstanding libraries; one in Atlanta and a new one in Linden. Probably other Cass County towns have libraries as well but I’m most familiar with the two mentioned.
Yesterday I was invited to attend a fun planning session for “The Friends of the Atlanta Public Library” and took a tour of the library. First, let me tell you a little about the library, other than it was totally amazing. This building is a 10,000 square ft structure that was the old Atlanta Post Office. It’s a 3-story building with a spring that runs under the actual building and an old well inside the basement. There are 3 floors (2 floors and a basement) chocked full of valuable information.
The children’s area located in the basement is painted like an aquarium or ocean bottom. Jackie, the head librarian and my tour guide, told me the library staff and an artist took 600 hours to paint the walls with mermaids, fish and scuba divers. Excellent graphics and so creative to spark childhood imagination. Each quarter the library sponsors a parent-child workshop for ages 0 to 3. Some items presented include music, play, food, nutrition, speech and how to read to a small child. What an excellent opportunity for parents to get involved with their toddlers.
The top floor has audio books and nonfiction in CD’s and MP3’s that can be checked out. (That’s cool if you don’t want to read, you can listen to a book instead…it’s definitely the way to go!)
Adults will love the top floor as there is a genealogy section as well as local history area. People actually come from all over the United States to peruse the genealogy records. Additionally, there are land records from when the county was formed and when Texas became a state in 1846. Several weeks ago, the library acquired marriage license documents which provide much more sought after detail. There are cemetery books which include every headstone in Cass County as well as 10 miles outside the border of the county. These books include a map to the cemetery, instructions on how to get there and what the oldest headstone is in the cemetery. This floor also includes church histories, family histories, high school yearbooks and an African American section of family histories. The “vertical files” on Cass County with all types of miscellaneous information are here as well. Searching quickly, we found a file showing Jefferson was originally in Cass County and was the first county seat and court house! This floor also holds all the Mayor’s Criminal court documents and city council minutes back to the 1800’s.
The first floor has lots of books and places to sit and read. Jackie told me that there was an older man that came in every day to just sit and read, he never checked out a book. At the end of his reading session he would hide his book on one of the shelves so that no one would check it out and he could continue reading the next day!
Information at your fingertips and once again you need to partake and get involved. The “Friends of the Library” is a very important part of the Atlanta Library support team. Initially I met about 20 of the “go-getters” as they planned several fundraising events, the first of which, coming very soon, is their annual bake sale held at the Atlanta Public Library on December 2nd and 3rd. The friends bake all types of sweets, pies, cakes and package them in individual servings as well as whole pies and cakes. Everything can be purchased for a donation. You can pick up a delicious slice for a contribution to the library through the Friends. Last year several of the ladies had to run home in midstream to continue baking their sought- after treats! Please plan to attend and pick up something yummy!
The second fund raiser is a to-go TACO SOUP day. It’s a presale event scheduled for February 3rd with more information to follow as well as a form for ordering. Standby for future details.
The third fund raiser is the annual book sale which is currently scheduled for April 20-25th. Again, future details will be forthcoming.
Friends need friends and I became one yesterday. The annual membership drive is currently taking place for the 2020 year. Annual dues are $5.00 for an individual; $10.00 for a family and $25.00 for a business. Your annual “Friends of the Atlanta Library” membership keeps you updated on events; allows you first day access to the book sale and helps support our community, kids and wonderful library.
As our world and ideas change libraries are changing. It isn’t so much about reading a book anymore but about a gathering place for learning, teaching and community get-togethers. The Atlanta Public Library definitely fits all the categories. Please check out the library and see what’s going on every month…and become a FRIEND soon! It’s all about community…