The Library! -- Nonfiction

"She's got a ticket to ride"

Now you have an ear worm! But aren't you glad it's the Beatles and not a Christmas commercial jingle?

A ticket for the light rail into Denver. I do love the light rail. Please note the $2.60 cost of a round trip ticket. That's cheaper than the cost of gas to get me into the city then home again -- not to mention $10 or $15 to park.

A friend from my walking group suggested that I visit the Denver Public Library, especially the floor that has maps, art, and genealogy. So last week, my daughter Grace and I went downtown.

I've lived here almost six years and had not yet visited the DPL. Grace went the first week she lived here, and there happened to be a book sale going on. Two bags full of books later and she was already helping support it. Yep, she was raised right.

We live in Jefferson County so I'm a regular at the Belmar Library, one of ten Jeffco library branches. The Denver Public Library has 25 branches. And, as a resident of the State of Colorado, I qualify for a library card there, too. So many places to get books and movies and music, oh my. And all for free.

We took the light rail down to Union Station which just happens to be across the street from Zoës Kitchen. Yes, lunch!

               

Where the food is good, the prices are right, and there's plenty of
indoor and outdoor dining space. Plus the wait staff are friendly and courteous.

Then a ride on the Free Mall Bus to the end of the line and a walk through Civic Center Park.

Food trucks and tables and chairs. We could have eaten in the park.
Oh well, maybe next time.

From this photo it's hard to tell how well-used Civic Center Park is.  

But there were lots of people of all ages. Some walking  and enjoying the green, 

some sleeping, some just hanging out. The umbrella was to protect this lady from the sun. 

There was no rain.

The Denver Public Library

The Denver Public Library began in 1884 as the Chamber of Commerce Library. The directors of the local Chamber of Commerce voted "that a room be set apart" in the Chamber of Commerce building. It was supported entirely by the Chamber of Commerce with an initial $15,000 for the purchase of books. Maintained without outside assistance until 1891, the Denver City Council then appropriated $5,000 to $8,000 per year for its support although it did not become a city institution until 1898.

John Cotton Dana was Denver's first Librarian. He directed the Denver Public Library from 1889 to 1898 He led the way for open stacks, allowing patrons to browse for themselves instead of library staff intervening for every request. Dana established the first-ever in the United States a collection devoted solely to children's literature.

The library went through several iterations and buildings including the standard Carnegie Greek Revival building from 1910 to 1955. Then to the Burnham Hoyt Building which was named to the National Register of Historic Places in 1990. And finally with additions and redesigns by architect Michael Graves we have today's building.

Filled with books, music, movies, computer access, maps, research materials, artwork and peaceful places to read, hold meetings, and sleep, if that's what you need to do.

The art starts right out front with this demi-wall of tiles of books.

   

                                       
And a window of post-it art --  Anime's Totoro and the internet's Nyancat ("Nyan" is how cats say "meow" in Japanese. I don't think my Kočka is civilized enough to learn Japanese. I wonder how cats say "bite" in Japan....)                                                  






The library is so big, there was no reason to attempt a casual walk-through. We went straight up to the fifth floor.

The Fifth Floor lobby has a wonderful exhibit of black and white photos taken by Dana EchoHawk of the San Luis Valley in southern Colorado.

In the stacks are family genealogy books, alphabetical by family name, and plenty of computer stations where online research is available.



There are murals by artists commissioned by the The Federal Art Project (1935–43) of the Works Progress Administration, part of Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal. Artists were paid $23.60 a week by the government. Tax-supported patrons and institutions provided the artist's materials. They made it through the Great Depression and we benefit from it to this day.

Frank Mechau's Horses at Night 

In the smaller rooms opening off the Gates Reading Room there are maps on the walls and in flat files. There are tables where you can lay them out and look at them to your heart's content.

The Gates Reading Room is dominated by an odd construction, a stylized oil derrick. Art for Art's Sake, I suppose. The very pleasant byproduct of this piece of art is that the room is open and light.

And there is space to hang the current exhibit of quilts

 by members of the Colorado Quilting Council

Ending our very pleasant library visit we walked back along the mall and met Grace's fiancé, Bob for "refreshments." Refreshments is a low-calorie was to say brownies and tea.

Sixteenth Street Mall is an entertainment in itself. There are street musicians and, in fact, there are pianos there all the time so anybody can play. Some better than others, but all, safe-to-say, can play better than I. 

Then back on the train and home in time for dinner.