Beyond Books — 'The Library Is For Everyone'
A cursory glance at the Montrose Public Library suggests the archetypal library. Computers, DVDs, magazines and books upon books upon books. Here, and nationwide, however, the role of the public library is changing, growing, expanding.
Patrons often begin their library-going experience at a young age, taking full advantage of a vast collection of picture books in the children’s section. That, however, only scratches the surface of the services available to kids and families at Montrose Public Library.
Head of youth services Tina Meiners highlights the many storytimes available. Infant, toddler and family storytimes cater to “different attention spans and different learning needs,” allowing for all age groups to feel comfortable in the space. Further inclusivity initiatives include a Rainbow Storytime, a chance to share stories about diverse families.
“We want to convey that we live in a pluralistic society, and as such provide a voice to everyone,” says Meiners.
The library strives to provide varied and supportive resources for their rural patrons. One such initiative is their Safe at Home program. Led by librarian James Stetson, the program offers training and guidance for pre-teens, teens and grandparents on navigating the world of safe babysitting and home-care.
Stetson says that the library tries to stay “in [their] lane with resources, but will step outside of that lane” in order to fill a need in the community. Seeing as there was no information and education of the sort in the Montrose, Colorado area, Stetson became a site representative and instructor for Safe at Home in order to facilitate a more nurturing and educated babysitting community.
Librarian James Stetson with just a sliver Montrose’s Youth Services Library of Things. Photo by Nickolas Paullus
Education, after all, is not only book learning. Much of the current focus and interest at the Montrose Library is on the burgeoning Library of Things. The Library of Things provides a veritable treasure trove of items to check out.
There are learning tablets, math manipulative backpacks, board games and musical instruments. Diverse and thorough, with the collection growing monthly, the Library of Things provides tangible ways for children and parents to learn and interact.
“Much of this is in support of homeschool families,” suggests Meiners. The resources apportioned to schools allows for a resource based basic education, and the Library of Things seeks to level the playing field for homeschool families. Various modules and devices, such as a telescope and a Colorado state parks pass, allow families to enrich the educational lives of their children.
Montrose Public Library also offers video games in the Library of Things, as well as Nintendo Switches to play while at the library. Stetson asserts that the video games are educational by their nature, not only promoting “a good hangout opportunity, but other benefits like hand-eye coordination and problem solving. And there are older kids who take the opportunity to teach the younger kids,” nurturing relationships and cooperation.
Further north, at the Mesa County Libraries, this focus on relationship and community is f leshed out in a robust collection of board games. Lisa Solko, head of collections management, highlights the value of “intergenerational interaction.”
“In the current world where TV, computer and phone screens are omnipresent, board games provide entertainment that is focused directly on other people sitting around the same table, which strengthens social safety nets and deepens lasting bonds,” she says.
To further empower this social safety net, the Mesa County Libraries host a diverse array of clubs and groups for a variety of demographics. These include a kids clubs and teen clubs, find others who share their enthusiasm for particular subjects, hobbies or pursuits.”
She adds that “our library’s programming is heavily influenced by patron requests and needs, [but] it’s also enriched by the passions and expertise of our staff.” Dungeons and Dragons are spurned forward by engaged teens, and the Books and Tap book club is initiated by a dedicated librarian, she says, while “many of our most successful programs, like Armchair Travel, Second Saturdays at the Collbran Branch Library, and even our Annual Culture Fest, result from collaboration between library staff and patrons, ensuring that we meet the diverse interests and needs of our community.”
Mesa County Culture Fest is one of many community centered events curated by the library. Photo courtesy of Mesa County Libraries
Each community is reflective of these diverse needs, and often these needs are most manifest in the underserved members of the community. Those experiencing housing insecurity, a rough home life or other social and economic hurdles often seek out a library as a place of refuge.
Clink shares that Mesa County Libraries seek to “[provide] programming and events that serve as a bridge to resources, knowledge and opportunities for members of our communities who might face barriers accessing such information or resources.” This often takes the form of tangible services and assistance, such as their Legal Resource Fair that offers legal advice and resources from local professionals, a Write a Will workshop, and After-School Snacks and Food Bags offered in partnership with the Food Bank of the Rockies.
Back in Montrose, head of adult services Sarah Rinne expounds on the library’s notion of service to their community. “A library is reflective of the needs of our patrons,” she says. She highlights a program called Book a Librarian, where patrons can reserve an hour of a librarian’s time. The staff will help with tech support, assisting patrons with new devices, and can offer guidance when applying for government services, helping subvert many of the “digital barriers” in modern life.
Jose Luis Chavez presents on the local Chicano movement at a Mesa County Oral History Meeting. Photo courtesy of Mesa County Public Libraries
“The library is for everyone,” she says. “And we do all this in hopes of being better servants to our community.” Better servants to the youth as they engage in robust resources. Better servants to diverse populations, as they engender safe spaces to learn and share. Better servants to those in need as they cultivate empathy and education.
A library is more than just stacks of books. A library is a public resource, open to any and all, which adapts to the world around it: a dynamic place of learning and community.
“The library, the building itself, is the resource,” concludes Rinne. A resource both profound and vast, infinitely so, and yet tangible, knowable. A gift to our communities, worthy of support, the way it, in turn, supports our communities.
Originally published in the Winter 2024-25 issue of Spoke+Blossom.