at the Cambridge Public Library main branch. Okay, I'm exaggerating. Libraries are important to us-- every week, we fill a boat tote of books, CD's and movies. We have been doing this since Manny was a baby. They are story hour pros. I love the solace of having a clean table surface all to myself. Manny and Benicio know exactly how the drill goes-- they wrestle and rough house all the way up the steps at the Falls branch back home. Then as soon as we open the door, their voices hush and then it is them and their individual quest for Jack Stalwart or Magic Treehouse books.
Here, though, we have found the library of our dreams. It is essentially brand new, cool, clean and everything you could want in a public library. Wide-museum like landings, a music section the size of TLA, a robust poetry section, and the best part is the the third floor, children's floor. I was writing a paper on Saturday when Geoff had brought the kids. They came back and with mounting excitement, they all described it:
Calliope:Mama, there are puppets, lots and lots of good puppets!
Clara: There's not just a Charlie and Lola spot, there's a Charlie and Lola shelf!!! There's a sign that says welcome in all the languages!
Benicio:There are window seats, lots of them, there are pet mice in the librarian's counter, there's a self-checkout like at IKEA., they have bean bag chairs, they have tables to look like tree rings.
Geoff: They are open til 9 on weeknights!! It's all glass, the attention builders would pay to build a mall, Cambridge gave double to make an inspiring public space!
And, you can eat there too! After a crowded and rollicking story hour there, we sat down at a table for plums and water IN THE LIBRARY. It's incredible, wish you could see it.
sounds wonderful! libraries are very special places. I used to love the one in Columbia, MD. Then there was the one closer to us where we went for story time. One time I took the kids there and Luci was wearing her blue footie pjs with cowboy boots and her batman cape. That's one of the many reasons I love reading your blog--it brings back memories of times when my kids were sweet and innocent like yours. Well, they were probably never as sweet and innocent as yours, but you know what I mean. xoxox
ReplyDeleteYour kids are the kids that first made us want to have kids esp Geoff, who wanted zero kids.
ReplyDeleteyou and Geoff--zero kids?--ridiculous! Actually, Adri said at Christmas, not knowing she was already pregnant, that she didn't want kids. Now, she is already so in love with her little one. Kids really are the miracles of our lives.
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