I am proud to announce that I have done my first library visit! It might be partial cheating, since it was KIND of the library that I went to growing up. But then again, it's not. Elmhurst built a whopping multi-million dollar library probably waaaaaaay back when I was in college. SO, in actuality, I've only been to the NEW Elmhurst Public Library twice now.
And I must say that it is A-MAZ-ING!!!! I am totally that person who could just go and hang out in the library because it is just that peaceful there. Pre-children and husband, I would go just hang out in libraries and bookstores. I did used to ride my bike the 2-3 miles down the Prairie Path just to go to the library. Yep, I was totally that dork.
I can truly say that I was SAD that I am no longer a resident of Elmhurst, just so that I could use that beautiful library! Forget being closer to my dad. Forget being able to see old friends. All the trials and tribulations that come with selling a house would
almost be worth it, just to use that library. Almost.
The first thing that you notice about the library is the windows. They. Are. Everywhere! In the children's room (okay, let's call it was it was - the children's FLOOR) the whole south wall, pretty much from floor to very high ceilings, were windows. Talk about a dream come true. (Sliiiight sidenote here: I LOVE windows - main reason I don't like to be in my windowless basement.) These windows looked out onto a very well manicured lawn with a park in the distance. It was just beautiful.
Now the majority of my focus will be about the children's room, just because that is now where I spend most of my time. It is so nice to be a teacher and a parent so that I have an excuse to be in there reading all those fabulous books!
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| This is the view walking into the children's area. |
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Notice that there is fancy wood-looking decor all over in the picture. This theme is throughout the whole children's area. Even the story room DOORS were made to look like trees with handles that looked like a branch! And the little peekhole into the room was in the shape of a bird!
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| Yes, those are letters on the column. And I know it's probably hard-impossible to tell, but the fabric of those chairs have shadow dogs and randomly placed fish bones! Super cute and comfy! |
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Another brilliant feature of the children's room are the placement of the bookshelves. You can kind of tell from above that the bookshelf curves. That is one massive bookshelf that curves around this one section in the children's area that holds all the picture books. The brilliant part of it is that you can then keep all your kids corralled in this area and be comforted in knowing right where they are! There are also several tables and chairs in this area (that is actually very large) and puzzles to entertain the young'ns.
I am so not doing this library justice. But I also thought it was really cool that you can check out bags with puppets or bags with puzzles! There's no excuses for parents anymore! I. LOVE. IT!!!! It doesn't cost a thing!
Alright, I'm going to wrap up my obsessings over my former library now. Wipe the drool off my chin and continue on with life. The last thing I'll talk about is all the amazing pamphlets I took/stole with an assortment of genres to address the developmental interests of boys and girls. I had to stuff them in my purse so I wouldn't look like a COMPLETE nutball.
Here is a link to the Kids' Library at Elmhurst Public Library. They do have printable versions of the aforementioned lists, by grade level. Go see them now and fall in love with Elmhurst Library the way I did! Again...
http://www.elmhurstpubliclibrary.org/Kids/
