gettin’ that recommended serving of weekly ‘liberry’ into your hectic schedule

I have to say that one of my new favorite places on Earth within a 3-5 mile radius of my apartment is the new Champaign Public Library. 

The immediate attraction of this community strong-hold is its architectural charm. Located on the western side of Green Street, its locale is in a prime place to flaunt and seduce passer-bys from all walks of life. Modern, two-stories, almost a block long, open, strategically lighted at night, and walls alternating white cement and giant glass windows give the structure both power and warmth. From the street, gazing in wonder at this simultaneously grandiose and friendly fortress, reading almost seems cool.

Upon entering the large glass automatic sliding doors one finds themselves in the library’s giant foyer, the ceiling looming two stories above and sunlight flooding in through the glass walls that reach all the way to the roof. To the left is the library (separated from the foyer by, again, another glass wall with names of faithful donors printed in white on the face of the glass) and to the right bathrooms, a cafe (Latte Da!), and large and airy room with several tables and chairs.

The library’s obvious investment in all this glass might seem a little strange or newfangled, but as a college student (and one that is particularly picky about her study lighting, where it’s seriously a matter of sheer joy to be studying or perceptible signs of depression based entirely on the quality of the light in the room ) lighting might just be everything. Today I learned that the library’s glass structure (in the form of giant windows and skylights) is based on environmentally-friendly sustainable energy techniques to save money and resources, taking the spotlight off that media-whore, gas, and  transforming it into the heavenly glow of…wait for it…the sun!  Want more factoids? The library is made of bamboo (yes, that’s right local pandas, bamboo) to reduce stress on the rain forests, and strategically placed columns to block unwanted heat from the sun during the summer.

The ‘people atmosphere’ is also enjoyable. Everytime I walk in the place is bustling like a hive of busy bees: children are playing/learning/running around (though never in that slap-worthy ‘out-of-hands’ kind of way) and students are quietly studying, old guys are reading the newspapers, and women are reading books or researching intensely.  Somehow these two dichotomous (kids vs. adults) environs do not impede on one another, and, to be honest, shit seems to be getting done, in an intellectualizing, productive, and overall good-for-your-health sort of wealth kind of way…

…the concept of ‘good’ is highly subjective and controversial in so  many instances these days…but I have serious reason to believe that the Champaign Public Library might possibly be the designated spot for Jesus’ Second Coming and the first step in a direction towards that much anticipated Kingdom of Heaven on Earth. It’s just so wholesome, so providing, so giving…I can’t help but think of the place as some sort of messianic breath of fresh air…

Maybe I digress. But continue to ‘check it out’ (heh, get it?…):

As far as facilities go, the library boasts a plentiful selection of both DVD’s, VHS’s, and CD’s on it’s first floor (a dirt cheap alternative for poor college students, ‘cuz it’s faa-ree!). Also dominating the first floor is the ‘Children’s Section’, which is, as I realized touring its premises, designed to make children feel as worthy and seriously taken as the rest of the library’s adult sections. The computers are the same recent model hp’s as in the other areas in the library, filled with intellectually stimulating, colorful games and search engines. There is a fierce selection of picture books of all genres, cassettes featuring foreign language teaching tools, and children-sized tables, chairs, and sofa chairs that model those in adult sections. There is even a children’s help desk, pint-sized for their convenience. Additional children’s sections include a baby play area (bean bags and magnetic building toys abounding!), and a YA room, filled with neon flashy designs, hang-out nooks and crannies, and a significant selection of YA literature.

Upstairs contains all the traditional ‘adult’ books, magazines, newspapers, and archives that one could hope to find. Ranging from Science Fiction to Literary Theory/Criticism, adults are hooked up satisfactorily. Dozens of computers, a helpful service desk, and a large array of free pamphlets on community advancements, library volunteer opportunities, the library’s monthly event calendar, and the library’s ‘Bookmobile Schedule’ (yes, that’s right, if you can’t make it to the library, the library can come to YOU) are just some of the notable community-binding circulations that you can find.

Even checking out books is a neat and fun activity. Just insert your card into a slot at the check-out desk, place your items on the digital weight sensory thingy, and have the computer read off your items of interest. Got late fee’s? That’s OK, just use your credit card at your convenience to pay them off. It’s all self-done, fast, easy, and fun. (Who else wanted to be a librarian when they were little just because those classy middle-aged women got to swipe your books and movies over that little magnetizer thing? OK, so maybe it is different, but it’s still stimulating!)

And that’s just it. This library is so based around the desires and satisfaction of its recipients that it just seems…good. Contend with me on that term if you will, but all the same, the doors to the public library are always open and waiting for you. A building that’s a friend? I never thought it would happen, but just go and study to see how smoothly it goes. Light never felt so right.