K is for Kingston
Kingston Public Library
Kingston Public Library
Kingston
After a few months hiatus, it felt wonderful to get back into my library visiting project!! No rhyme or reason for the delay, but I would like to blame the letter "J". Did you know that there are no towns in Massachusetts that begin with the letter "J"? It's a fact. There is always Jamacia Plain, which is part of Boston, but I was not feeling a city visit. I made the executive decision to skip the trouble making "J" and get on with it! I may bend my rules and venture to Jefferson New Hampshire during foliage season.
Off I went with my husband Carl as my co-pilot on sunny Tuesday in early September. In a quick 45 minutes we pulled into the Kingston Public Library. Having done some research I knew the building itself was a bland former AT&T switching station. The original library, built in 1898 is a beautiful building, built in the colonial revival style. It sits right across the street and houses local history collections and serves as a public meeting space. The neighborhood is charming, coastal, and historic.
What personality the building may lack is more than made up for by the interior! First of all, the person at the front desk was the library director himself, Donald Colon. He appeared to have all the time in the world to talk books, library programs, trends, and a book recommendation as well! He has worked in libraries for 40 years and obviously loves his career choice. On this day they were a little short staffed which allowed Donald the chance to work the front desk, which made him very happy. I loved Donald's confidence as he told me, "This is the library that will put you on the map!"
Donald told us that the Kingston library receives rave reviews on their customer service. For this reason, they choose not to have a self checkout option. Interacting with patrons is important to them and they do not want to sacrifice personal interaction with technology.
While chatting at the circulation desk a woman came in to renew two books so her husband could read them. I asked her if Boys in the Boat, by Daniel James Brown, one of the books she renewed, was as good as I had heard. Her reply was simply, "unimaginable suffering." They emotion behind her answer told me that it is a book worth exploring.
Funny enough, Carl and I also got recommendations from an enthusiastic book lover who happened be hanging around the desk, just like us. His name was Mikey and his favorite genre is "short horror". He recommends Joe Hill, who happens to be Stephen Kings son. The titles he raved about include 20th Century Ghost, Pop Art, and Voluntary Commitment. Mikey was passionate, knowledgeable, very descriptive, and fun to listen to. Come to find out, he was there to repair the electric sign out front.
The library has a stunning courtyard in the middle of the library space. The library surrounds the courtyard, offering a view of nature at every turn. The outdoor space is often used for S.T.E.M. and art projects as well a relaxing spot to read.
We walked down a wide hallway that serves as an art museum. The "Art Gallery" is where individual artist and groups of artists have their work displayed. They submit a request and eventually their art is hung for all to enjoy! This month's artists were from the Plymouth active Living Center. The talent displayed on the wall was amazing!!!
Two small rooms caught my attention. The library book store, where you could purchase a book for a buck was well stocked. The "Community Craft & Puzzle Swap" room was something I had not seen before! Imagine picking up something you needed or didn't know you needed for an art project, for free!? A perfect spot to recycle odds and ends you don't use and have them become another artists inspiration.
Off to my favorite spot in a library. The CHILDREN'S room! This room had the Lego Club's creations on display, as well as comfortable chairs for children and adults. There was also a separate room set aside for just playing with toys! Imagine that:)
I chatted with Gayle, a library employee who serves the library in many roles. She was a great story teller. Listening to Gayle's stories, told with pride, gave me a good sense of how big a role the Kingston library plays in the town. The Silver Lake Regional High School students complete 40 hours of volunteer work over four years. The library is a great place for those students to volunteer. The library and public schools have a cooperative relationship. Gayle said the teen room is a busy spot. They see some of those same teenagers return later in life as they become parents and introduce their children to the library.
Gayle describes the library as more of a community center, especially since the pandemic. She told me that people realized that they need other people! Programs that have the people streaming in are author talks, sewing class, and crafting and story times! The children's room also has Lego, Minecraft, and Pokemon clubs!
They are lucky to have a Foundation that fundraises money for the library. An event called, "Libreweries" was being advertised the day we visited. Imagine and outdoor event that includes books and beer? Apparently, it's a successful fund raiser!!
I left the Kingston Library with a strong sense of awe at how the space was organized, decorated and used. I could tell that Kingston is a town that values and supports its library:).
A short drive brought us to Grey's Beach Park. An ocean front park with a small beach area, children's playground, a grassy picnic area, and a pickleball court nestled in a neighborhood.
Taking the back roads home, we pulled into the 550 Tavern in Halifax. A comfy, casual spot for lunch. While waiting for our food we invited a woman to join us as she was seated by herself. I have never done this before and I am so glad I did! Her name was Jan and she was from the same town as Carl and the old stories were flying! Jan was great company, had stories to tell, and listened to our story of visiting libraries. We told her we would e-mail her when I put the Kingston library post up. Kind of embarrassing as that was six months ago. We'll see if she remembers the crazy library people;)
Next letter is , "L", which will be bring me to Lakeville.