The City of Northfield celebrated the new Northfield Public Library Oasis with members of the community at a spirited ribbon cutting ceremony last Thursday.
The Oasis, located in an underused space inside the Northfield Community Resource Center, 1651 Jefferson Parkway, was overflowing with city and library staffers, Chamber members and community representatives, as well as first graders and their teachers from Bridgewater Elementary School who walked across Jefferson Parkway to attend the event.
Every attendee was encouraged to wear a button stamped with quotes by famous figures about the importance of libraries in our communities.
The brief program included remarks by library director Natalie Draper, Northfield Mayor Rhonda Pownell, Jane Bartho, president of the Northfield Chamber of Commerce and Galen Malecha, Rice County Commissioner. Former poet laureate Rob Hardy read a poem entitled “Branch Library” by poet Edward Hirsch.
Laura Turek, chair of the Library Board and Bill North, chairman of the 260-member Friends and Foundation of the Northfield Public Library, each spoke on behalf of their organizations. The Friends and Foundation of the Northfield Public Library raised $100,000 in generous community donations through a capital campaign in support of the Library Oasis.
“A library is more than just books,” said Malecha. “It’s a gathering spot for the public, especially since its south of downtown location serves this side of Northfield.”
Draper said the new library location inside the same building as other human services makes it easier for everyone to access valuable community space, information, staff, and resources.
“It will be especially beneficial for those who have limited time, means, awareness, or transportation,” said Draper. “The Library Oasis will offer all who visit a space to reflect and rest, the opportunity to explore freely, play, read, and discover what is possible.”
Margit Johnson, a former member of the Library Board and a Friends of the Library Board member, wrote in her blog post that she remembered being told that a town with 20,000 residents couldn’t support a branch library.
“Those library sages didn’t know about our versatile staff, new technologies, and our Community Resource Center that is abuzz with Head Start programs, the Community Action Center, the senior center, a food shelf, a branch community college, and social service agencies that serve hundreds of people there every week – hundreds of people who would use a convenient branch library in the same building,” Johnson added.
The Library Oasis offers a full service, staffed library from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m., Monday through Friday. After 12 p.m. the library operates on a self-serve basis with free and open access to use the space to relax, work, check out materials, print, fax, copy, scan, and use the computers. Children may also enjoy the play area any time the Northfield Community Resource Center is open to the public.
The Library Oasis also provides a convenient way to pick up holds and drop off materials, 24 hours a day, with a remote locker and book return, located just outside the Community Action Center entrance. For more information about services and programs, visit mynpl.org/oasis.
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