On a recent Saturday morning, a contingency of garden club members, clippers in hand, were led by library staff to the basement. They were on a mission of horticultural concern. The library, Elmhurst Public Library to be precise, was preparing for an open house in celebration of their 100th anniversary. The Elmhurst Garden Club, which is celebrating their 90th anniversary, was asked to make table decorations.
What an exciting, innovative time the early 1900’s must have been. All around the Chicago suburban area (not to mention the city of Chicago itself) growth was apparent. Passenger lines, such as the “L”, were winding their way out to the suburbs, where forest preserve park districts, local park districts and libraries were being established. These were visionary folks who looked toward the future with a sense of the common good that should be found in their communities. It was also a burgeoning time in which women’s organizations were formed; clubs where women had a chance to gather, but, more importantly, where they could do good things and make a difference outside of their homes.
So it was that on this particular Saturday morning, for several hours, at least a baker’s dozen worked, under the expert eye of Marie, arranging flowers in slim bud vases, chatting and laughing as women are wont to do. A few members took what was left of the flowers to make more substantial bouquets for the library’s reception desk, circulation desk, etc. They were beautiful.
The next morning, many of us wandered in for a delicious pancake breakfast. Imagine that! Pancakes! In the library! I keep saying, dear reader, that the most “happening” places today are local libraries. Several of us, plates of buckwheat, s’more, or apple fritter pancakes found tables in the children’s section, while a combo played, and I enjoyed the best conversation on bakeries with my friend Jean’s husband.
Eventually, we were invited upstairs to one of the study rooms, where we all grabbed vases of flowers. Imagine us, if you will; flower girls, again.
One of the best treats of the morning was hearing my name called out. “Penny”. At first, I thought it to be the aforementioned Jean, but, quickly realized it was the woman behind her. Well, by gosh and by golly, it was none other than Dawn of Petals. Paper. Simple Thymes. We have been trying, for ages, to meet up and there we were, face-to-face, in a place we both love – the library.
Dawn and I met up again, upstairs. We chatted some more and decided to have our photo taken. What fun! As we walked out, a staff member asked if we would like to scan our photos and send to our phone, email, etc. Isn’t it amazing? 100 years after its inception, in a public library, perhaps working on a term paper – or looking to build a chicken coop – you can scan the pages of a book and send it to your computer or phone?
But wait. There’s more.
Many libraries now have meeting rooms for big groups or small. Card holders can check out tools and blenders, knit with friends, watch a movie or attend a lecture. One can request a book, from another library, and have it waiting for you, and many libraries now have designated spaces for teens.
As a teenager, I was often in the library. I relished the day I was old enough to go the main branch of the Maywood library. I loved browsing the shelves, doing research for a term paper, and discovering all sorts of magazines I never knew existed, but, I did so in a hushed atmosphere, where even turning the pages of a book were quiet pursuits. Today, teens can meet up in a room like this, work on projects, write on a glass-like board, study, or, just hang out. Pretty wonderful, I think.
Happy 100th Anniversary to the Elmhurst Public Library!
Enjoyed your post. Wish I had been there both days. The garden club ladies did an excellent as usual.
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There will be other opportunities, I’m sure, Bev, but, it would have been fun for you to be with us all. I wish I had taken some photos of the larger bouquets. They were truly excellent. Thank you, Bev.
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Oh, Penny! What a special celebration if was! The library was filled with your beautiful flowers, live music, and so many special displays. It was so wonderful to finally meet in person. Chatting together was just as sweet as the syrup on our pancakes! It was such a treat to spend time before hours exploring all of the wonders that our library offers readers of all ages! Over the years, I have spent many happy hours in the Children’s section. This was my first visit to the new Teen space and the Creative Lab. Just amazing! We are so fortunate that our public libraries are such vibrant places to learn and grow. As our library celebrates its 100th birthday… the entire community can open its amazing gifts!! ❤️
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I agree, Dawn. It was a special celebration in so many ways – especially meeting you as well as your husband. I felt as if I’ve always known you. 🙂
There is something very special and a little bit intriguing in wandering around a library “before hours”. The staff worked very hard to make it happen and were such gracious hosts and hostesses. I was very impressed with the teen spaces – an innovative move. Here is to another 100 years – and more.
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Don’t you just love libraries . You have a beautiful one .
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I do, I do, I do love libraries 🙂 I have a tendency to stop at everyone I see, Gerlinde, even while vacationing.
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Thank you for sharing the Elmhurst celebration and for the ode to libraries in general…my favorite places to hang out too! And it is wonderful to observe how they’ve kept up with .. and ahead of … the times. Many changes in the 70+ years since my first visit to the Clarkston Carnegie Library!
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My first library visit was a Carnegie library as well, Sallie. It was the little branch library in Maywood right before Easter. I can still see the wooden check-out desk and rows of books in my mind. There, my love affair with the printed word and with libraries began. Indeed, libraries have changed and will continue to so in these modern times. The Elmhurst library is a new building. It’s former location was across the same park in the mansion where our garden club now holds its meetings.
I have a tendency to stop at libraries when traveling. Do you?
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Oh yes, when we were FullTime RV travelers we not only stopped at libraries, but very often were able to take out guest cards (wherever we spent the winter season) … In the days before Kindle and iPads, they were our life blood. And tho I read on Kindle now when we travel, many of those books are from one of our two local libraries. At home, we both read Library books of the paper kind). And now that we live in town in Oregon I will be attending more programs and Friends of Library activities?
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I did not know about guest cards. How wonderful! We’ve used libraries to do research when away, or computers (before laptops) but guest cards. I’m so happy to learn this, Sallie. I’m guessing you will be engaging in some very interesting programs this summer in Oregon.
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Wow! That’s huge! Happy anniversary to the library! What a lovely celebration!
I grew up going to the Walker Branch Library on the south side of Chicago. I remember getting my first library card. I read practically every book in the children’s section.
I go to two libraries: the one in Wheaton and the one in Carol Stream. I heard that a coffee place is being added to the Wheaton Library! I was shocked when I heard that.
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I have been to the Wheaton Library (for a flower show, in fact) and it is a wonderful library, L. Marie. The Elmhurst library does have a coffee shop and I’ve seen a few others. It seems to be a trend, especially in the bigger libraries. I’ve seen just coffee pots and a section for sipping in quite a few libraries as well. Some day, I’m sure I’ll visit the Carol Stream library.
Have you gone to the bookshop in Wheaton? It is across the street from the library, in Thoms Price furniture. Prairie Path Books. You should stop in. It is run by several women, has lots of bookish events, including a room with furniture from Thoms Price, for book groups to meet – and a wonderful children’s selection.
I always loved those Chicago branch library. I think several of them, sadly, have closed, but, it was one of the amazing things Chicago did well. Of course, I do remember my dad taking me to the Main Library, which is now the Cultural Center. It still amazes me. What a nice memory for you it must be, reading all the children’s books in the Walker Branch.
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What a celebration it was—flowers, good food, old and new friends as well as a rekindling of all the memories of libraries past and present! Booklovers all feel like they were born and came of age in libraries. It is sad that so few of the Carnegie libraries remain. I want to remember the librarians who provide such a contribution to learning. Computers are fantastic but it really was fun to go to the library and actually hunt for a book for a reference! I am dating myself. I did enjoy this post so much because of the attention it brought to libraries.
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It is sad that the Carnegie libraries are fading, Marilyn. I remember my first library experience so vividly, as well as so many of my younger life, and I still think of going to the card catalogue, then, realize there isn’t one. It is all online. I have found, even in the modern libraries of today, there are still wonderful librarians. Funny thing happened to me the other day. I was trying to find Steinbeck’s “Travels with Charley” for my book group. I quickly remembered it was non-fictioned, but, then couldn’t find it anywhere. I went to the “help desk”, and the librarian didn’t even bother to ask if I needed help. The look on my face said it all. Finally, we found out it, on the bottom shelf, of course. 🙂 crammed in tight. We ended up having a nice conversation about how all the books we want are on the bottom shelf. The funny part was the much younger patron watching us, bottoms-up, trying to get the book off of the shelf. I’m sure he had quite a story to tell. 🙂
Thank you, Marilyn.
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WHAT FUN!!!!
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It was. 🙂
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I love to hear about your community events Penny. Thank you.
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Delighted to hear it, Juliet. You are welcome. 🙂
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It was so nice to read your essay, Penny, on Sallie’s Full Time Life’s blog. Very well written and you expressed the same sentiments of many. including myself.
I enjoyed reading about your library in this post and see the work of the garden club! I also love all the libraries of my life, both in the past in NY and now In Colorado. There are so many new features available these days through technology which are so helpful to many. It’s wonderful@
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I appreciate your reading of it, Pat, and your taking the time to comment. Thank you.
You are so right; there are so many features. Technology does open up avenues of learning and enjoyment for many who would not otherwise be able to grow and learn. Libraries are treasurers, wherever we live, aren’t they?
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Hi, I came over from Sally’s ‘A Full Time Life’. I am also impressed how libraries have kept up with the digital age and use their space for interesting community activities. We hold our U3A classes in our local libraries free of charge.
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I am glad you came over, Diane. Welcome to the Cutoff. Libraries have most certainly evolved to accommodate many functions, such as hosting classes, and they have, indeed, grown with the digital age. Thank you for commenting.
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You know I also love libraries, Penny, so I know I would have thoroughly enjoyed your experience on Saturday! I get excited just being inside a beautiful library, and it must have felt like quite an honor to be called upon to create the lovely flower arrangements. And then to meet up with Dawn, as well. You had a really beautiful And pancakes, too? Make mine buckwheat. 🙂
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You would have loved this, Debra.
Our garden club has a good and very long relationship with this library. Members have decorated it for Christmas for more than 60 years. Our club meets in the Wilder Mansion, which is where the old library was. Both buildings are on the same campus, in Wilder Park, about a block apart. The day the new library opened, the last book from the old library was passed, hand-to-hand, all the way down to the new library. A lot of children participated, adults as well, and it was such a special way to open the new library.
It was really nice to meet Dawn. The pancakes were tasty. A Chicago company called, are you ready for this?, Baby Cakes was making them. Yum.
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Very nice Penny – you should be a PR person to promote the value of public libraries! And here’s to visionary folks, may we have more of them!
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Thank you, Janet. Think they’d pay me for it? 🙂 Yes. Here’s “to visionary folks, may we have more of them!” I was very impressed with the teen area, but, mostly just love libraries.
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Two wonderful anniversaries and how lovely that they could combine in this worthwhile way. I wish I could have met up with you over pancakes at the library, Penny. 🙂 The library where I spent many happy hours as a child was also a Carnegie library and celebrated its centenary a few years ago. Such an enlightened use of great wealth.
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Oh, Perpetua, THAT would have made a great event even greater! It was fun eating pancakes in the library – felt just a wee bit naughty. 🙂 The company employed to make them is called Baby Cakes. Now, I’m getting hungry. It is amazing how far and wide the Carnegie libraries are. His philanthropy and vision opened up the sharing of knowledge for so many – and right now, I have a library book that I really need to finish and, yikes, will be paying a late fine.
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