HARDWICK – A birthday party at the Jeudevine Memorial Library, Saturday, from noon to 2 p.m., brought library supporters together, along with many others, utilizing many of the library’s new facilities.
photo by Paul Fixx
The event was held to “celebrate the Jeudevine Memorial Library’s 130th anniversary!” said the library’s invitation, which added, “This year also marks the first anniversary of our new addition.”
Visitors were greeted outside by colored balloons on sticks in the corner lawn and more by the addition’s new upstairs and downstairs entrances.
photo by Paul Fixx
Maya’s Maple Creemee stand was set up in the new parking lot outside the downstairs entrance, where Maya Remick dispensed free cones to all comers for the full two hours, despite intermittent rain showers.
Visitors inside were offered tours of the building and children were painting and decorating squares in the Elizabeth H. Dow Room downstairs. When assembled, they will read, “Free For All,” a saying the library has been using liberally of late, to indicate all are welcome and borrowing books, videos, children’s strider bikes and more, is always free for all.
photo by Paul Fixx
At 12:30 p.m. a ceremony on the new patio outside the original library’s entrance dedicated the outside landscaping, with its terracing, a brick patio, outdoor furniture and numerous gardens, with their upkeep, donated by the Cobb family in memory of Leone Cobb.
“Always with a book in hand, Leone Cobb inspired generations of Hardwick students,” reads a plaque attached to a granite block in the patio garden.
photo by Paul Fixx
Following an introduction by Andrea Brightenbach, Carl Cobb, Leone’s son, spoke of his mother’s and his own love of Hardwick and how returning to the Green Mountain State always feels like his real home. Other family members on hand were Cobb’s daughter Kate Cobb O’Neill of Grand Isle and Sherry Joyce, who traveled from her Florida home, a niece to Carl, and Paul and Sarah Cobb Philbrook’s daughter.
Some popped out umbrellas during the dedication to fend off light showers, while others seemed unaffected and few left until after the event when all were invited inside for lunch.
A fresh fruit salad, an array of sandwiches, chips and an assortment of drinks were offered free in the Parker Ladd community Room, downstairs in the library’s addition.
Two cakes topped off the lunch, with some visitors opting for a slice from a chocolate sheet cake decorated for a child, with sunshine, clouds and a hot air balloon, wishing the library’s addition “Happy 1st Birthday.” Others took their slice from a yellow cake version decorated for an adult, with pink roses, wishing “Happy 130th Birthday” to the original library, finished in 1896, then accepted by the town in December of 1897. Yet others chose a bit of both and all had the option to top off their slice with some of Maya’s maple creemee.
Library Director Diane Grenkow flitted here and there through the building tending to her staff, board members, members of the library’s friends group, patrons and members of the larger community who attended.
Talking about the new configuration of the library, with more space and opportunities for several events to happen at the same time in different places, she said, “What I didn’t anticipate was how much ‘yes’ there would be with this expansion. The biggest thing is, yes, the building is accessible . . .
“Do we have a bathroom? Yes! Four! And they are accessible; not like before when the only one was down the circular staircase to the basement.”
She went on to say, “Do we have a quiet place someone can go to take a work call, study or meet privately with a healthcare provider on Zoom? Yes!
“Is there space for people or organizations to hold meetings or classes? Yes!
“Is there room for kids to hang out after school? Yes! We can now have programs at any time of day, not just when the library is closed.”
Grenkow reminded library patrons that they continue to offer many other things without the crowding and poor lighting of the old building, which now holds adult books and offers quiet space for reading and using a computer. “We still say yes to interlibrary loans if we don’t have what you are looking for; yes, we make copies in black and white and color; yes, we can fax your documents; yes, we can laminate; yes, there is a notary on staff; yes, we are happy to help you find your next favorite author!”
Grenkow added, “After so many years of ‘no,’ it’s a joy every single day to say ‘yes.’”
Photos were projected on a screen in the Parker Ladd Room, next to a band playing familiar tunes. David Gaillard was playing an upright bass, Tracy Wolters a guitar and Peter Miller a fiddle.
Among the slides was one listing all of the librarians, back to the first.
Former Library Director Lisa Sammett, who had wanted to see an addition since she began work at the library on May 15, 2000, retired before the final version of the addition was conceived. She said she had waited 26 years. “It’s my dream come true.”
“The addition looks and feels like I had imagined. It’s just awesome,” said Sammet.
“I feel proud, and that I don’t have to worry about this library anymore.”
Jodi Lew-Smith had been chair of the board that was able to get a final version of plans for the library funded, and now heads Friends of the Library, said, “I’m grateful to stand in this building every time I stand in it.”
“It feels like the right building in the right spot and it doesn’t feel too big.”
Beth McIntyre is the current board chair, who has served as a librarian, but now does other work, said the library has been focused on working with deficiencies and the addition to overcome them, so it’s been “Nice to focus on celebrating and to focus on the joy.”
Strategic planning has been underway since spring, said McIntyre.
There has been outreach to the community and to staff with a facilitator who led a retreat and helped the board lay out directives to guide their current work, which will result in a plan for the future of the facility, she said..
“I’m optimistic. It’s exciting to be able to look beyond the building project into what is now possible.”
