Every time a bell rings, a new branch library opens!
And this one's mine. Freed-Montrose Neighborhood Library, Houston TX
To steal Lorrie Moore’s phrase (again, from I Am Homeless If This Is Not My Home ) our former neighborhood branch library had indeed lost its spank. The one that opened two weeks ago? Bursting with it.
The practical offerings were compelling: holds locker on the ground level, reserve-able meeting rooms, outdoor terrace. But also? It’s nice, thoughtful, and people are ready to read! I met up with a writer friend for coffee across the street before the opening. We’d planned to check out the inside after the requisite speeches by city and library officials. A couple hundred neighbors had the same idea. The line to get in wrapped around the block. So I tested out the red carpet and came back later.
The new space delivers! There’s artwork by local artist Kill Joy and an impressive World Languages section. All the books in the library on opening day were brand new. Imagine - a whole library full of new books! I did some Citizen Curation in recent fiction, turning The Rachel Incident forward. (Speaking of, I think you should read it.)
The final charm was the ‘short story dispenser’ near the checkout. You push a button to select the target age group and it spits out a little receipt-size paper with something to read.
Speaking of libraries: I visited a few in Tennessee this summer.
TBR outlook
I came home from a road trip to find a copy of Orbital by Samantha Harvey in my stack of Christmas cards. Thank you, Christina!
Book friends in my ears
Driving through far West Texas I listened to The Book Case with Charlie and Kate Gibson. Their two episode interview with Ann Patchett on her annotated edited of Bel Canto was a very fun listen.
Tell me, what do you love about your neighborhood library? Any good reads find their way to your mail?
Happy Reading!
Orbital is next on my list- my friends are buzzing about it!
Orbital by Samantha Harvey. Wow! I come across few books that wiggle with words to a place in my heart, familiar but I'm not sure, and inviting me, gently, to behold. All this from the first sentences. Thanks Kelly.